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CEC not a holy cow: BJP

CEC not a holy cow: BJP

Author: Our Special Correspondent
Publication: The Hindu
Date: November 22, 2002
URL: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2002/11/22/stories/2002112205461100.htm

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today continued its earlier attack on the Chief Election Commissioner, J.M. Lyngdoh, saying that his description of the Gujarat situation as "nasty" was a "nasty statement" from him.

The party spokesperson, V.K. Malhotra, virtually defended the party's criticism of the CEC, a constitutional authority, saying Mr. Lyngdoh was "not a holy cow". If the CEC made any statements that the BJP did not consider appropriate, certainly the party had the right to criticise him, Mr. Malhotra said, even while adding that he had never criticised Mr. Lyngdoh.

The party's anger was the result of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's reference to the failure of the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, to condemn the BJP's earlier criticism of Mr. Lyngdoh. Ignoring the remarks made by the Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, on Mr. Lyngdoh's Christian birth - he has repeatedly talked about the Vatican and the Church and has also referred to Ms. Gandhi and Mr. Lyngdoh as co-religionists - Mr. Malhotra claimed that the BJP had never said anything about the CEC being a Christian. "The BJP has never criticised his Christian credentials."

Well after the Supreme Court's pronouncement on the presidential reference (which was born out of the Gujarat situation), Mr. Malhotra continued tirade against the Election Commission for not holding the elections in the State earlier. (The Court has stated that the elections could have been held any time within six months of dissolution of the Assembly.)

But on the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray's criticism of Mr. Advani, it was "no comment" from Mr. Malhotra, who pleaded that he had neither read Mr. Thackeray's comments nor heard them on television. "I would recommend that Mr. Thackeray read the text of the speech given by Mr. Advani during the Gujarat debate. He would have been pleased as for the first time inside the House, Mr. Advani acknowledged Hindutva (`Pehli dafa sadan mein hindutva ko sweekar kiya hai')."

Mr. Thackeray's criticism followed some harsh comments on Mr. Advani by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders, Vishnu Hari Dalmiya and Ashok Singhal. But with the Gujarat election around the corner the BJP does not want to join issue with the Sangh Parivar or allies such as the Shiv Sena.
 


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