The Hindu : Conditions in Gujarat conducive for polls: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 25, 2002

Other States

Other States - Gujarat

Conditions in Gujarat conducive for polls: Advani

By K.V. Prasad

NEW DELHI JULY 24. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today assured the Rajya Sabha that the Government would take steps to ensure that the Assembly elections in Gujarat were held in an atmosphere where everyone could take part, even as the entire Opposition staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over the response.

Strongly endorsing the Narendra Modi Government's move to dissolve the State Assembly and seek a fresh mandate, Mr. Advani maintained that the situation in the State now was peaceful.

His assertion came in the form of a reply to the two-day debate on a motion moved by the Congress leader, Pranab Mukherjee, on the steps taken by the Government on the May 6 motion unanimously adopted by the House to intervene in Gujarat under Article 355 of the Constitution. The Opposition had demanded the dismissal of the Modi Government and imposition of President's rule.

The reply was punctuated by frequent disruption as agitated Opposition members contested points raised by Mr. Advani. Such was the mood that the Leader of the Opposition, Manmohan Singh, and the senior Congress leader Arjun Singh, had to intervene barely minutes after the Deputy Prime Minister began his response. The Chair adjourned the House briefly after the RJD chief, Laloo Prasad Yadav's remarks about Mr. Modi drew sharp protests from the BJP members. At one point, Mr. Advani observed that it appeared that the Opposition members were adopting a pre-determined approach, which too was vociferously disputed.

Dr. Singh charged that the elections were sought to be held in Gujarat under a regime which wanted to manage the country's politics by unleashing terror and asked whether the atmosphere in that State was such that even the minorities felt secure to come out and exercise their franchise.

Mr. Arjun Singh wanted to know whether the Governor had consulted the Home Minister before deciding to accept the Modi Government's recommendation for dissolution of the Assembly.

Mr. Advani said that while it was for the Election Commission to decide on the schedule, the BJP would go to the polls under Mr. Modi. The manner in which Mr. Modi ``firmly'' put down violence in Gujarat had never been done during the past 50 years, he added.

He said the situation was not the same two months ago, when the BJP national executive had directed Mr. Modi to seek a fresh mandate. The Chief Minister was then advised to wait till peace was restored.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

Conditions in Gujarat conducive for polls: Advani