BJP criticism is disrespect to President, say parties

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 27. A first-rate controversy appears brewing a day after the BJP voiced its criticism of the President's Republic Day-eve observations. On Friday, the its vice-president, Mr. Jana Krishmurthi, through a press statement, joined issue with the President.

Today major political parties took objection to the ruling party showing disrespect to the head of the republic, while applauding Mr. K.R. Narayanan for warning the country against attempts at tinkering with the Constitution.

Leading the chorus of protest against the BJP, the former Prime Minister, Mr. Chandra Shekhar, says ``I am confident that the BJP senior functionary's statement will receive condemnation from all responsible people and those who value democracy so that the office of President will be kept out of controversies. I hope and trust that the BJP and its leadership, especially the Prime Minister, will disapprove of this type of utterances of a vice- president''.

The former Prime Minister pointed out that the sum and substance of the BJP's criticism is that ``the President is not entitled to express his view if a similar view has been expressed by any other political party''.

Mr. Chandra Shekhar notes that even parliamentary traditions and manners demand that the President be kept out of controversy.

``I do not know how a responsible officer-bearer of the BJP has taken such position where he has almost challenged the very authority of the President to make a statement if a similar position has been taken by the Congress and the CPI(M)''.

The Congress also added its voice to the chorus of protest. Its spokesman, Mr. Anil Shastri, argued that the President could not be expected to be a mute spectator to the designs of an ``extremist party'' ruling the country. The Congress would oppose tooth and nail the BJP move of ``fixed terms for Parliament'' because it amounted to freezing of democracy.

The BJP has also been condemned by the CPI(M). The polit bureau notes that the President was merely discharging his constitutional responsibilities by warning against any move to ``restrict the scope of parliamentary democracy in India''.

This warning is timely because the ``consultation papers'' produced by the Constitution Review Commission has made suggestions ``which are all part of the overall game plan of the BJP-RSS combine''.

The CPI(M) notes that ``instead of appreciating the President's forthright defence of the parliamentary democratic system, the BJP has sought to criticise his stand and impute motives to it. This only exposes the ulterior motives of the BJP- led Government in setting up such a commission''.

Expectedly, the CPI also condemned the BJP for wanting to ``sermonise the President''. According to a central secretariat statement, the BJP 's statement lacked in elementary courtesy and decency.

``The BJP spokesman has indeed crossed all limits, and has to be roundly condemned''.

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Section  : National
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