BJP is against ordinance on convicted leaders

BJP today attacked government over its plan to defend convicted leaders by overruling Supreme Court order in which the Apex Court said convicted MPs, MLAs and MLCs who get punishment of two years or more can not contest the elections and would face immediate disqualification from Parliament and Assemblies.

However Congress led UPA is not happy with the Supreme Court decision and after the  review petition was rejected earlier this month, government pushed for ordinance, after failing it to pass in the Parliament too.

Yesterday cabinet clears the ordinance to protect convicted leaders and undo Supreme Court verdict, which led to a wide-spread criticism and chaos.

Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said BJP is opposing such move by the government and asked the President Pranab Mukherjee to not sign the ordinance.

“Union Cabinet has approved ordinance on convicted MPs. We are opposed to this. We request the President not to sign this ordinance. The President is not obliged to sign an Ordinance that is unconstitutional,” Ms Swaraj wrote on Twitter.

 “The government is showing extraordinary haste in bringing up an executive order. We will like to know from the government as to what is driving this,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Seetharaman attacked the government.

 Aam Admi Party and BJD has already said they are opposing this ordinance.

 “The passing of this ordinance is not only a severe blow to democracy, but also exposes the intentions of the political class which has stooped to a new low to protect the corrupt,” the AAP said in a statement.

 “This is very unfortunate development that what the government failed to push through in Parliament particularly in the Lok Sabha they are now trying to bring an ordinance,” BJD leader Jay Panda told reporters.

It seems Congress President Sonia Gandhi becomes desperate to keep its ally intact as her government now goes all the way to take on Supreme Court by protecting accused leaders like RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Congress MP Rasheed Masood. Lalu Prasad may lose his Lok Sabha membership if he found guilty in fodder scam on September 30. Masood’s fate will be deiced on October 1st in a 20-year-old case.

Defending Congress’s position, party spokesperson PC Chacko said, “An ordinance is not an undemocratic act from any government. Ordinance means it has to go before Parliament again.”

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