Union cabinet met today at the national capital and withdrew the controversial ordinance as well as the bill on the convicted lawmakers. After Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi’s public rage against the ordinance, it was almost decided that the cabinet had to recall it even at the cost of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reputation and authority.
Earlier in the day Rahul Gandhi met Dr. Manmohan Singh and explained his objection on the ordinance. He, however, did not apologise to the Prime Minister for embarrassing his government and insulted his cabinet decision so openly.
After 20-minutes meeting with Rahul Gandhi, Manmohan Singh met President Pranab Mukherjee and officially conveyed his decision of recalling the ordinance and bill. This way he also save himself from further embarrassment as the sources were telling that President was not keen to sign this ordinance which was to protect convicted MPs and MLAs from immediate disqualification. Supreme Court earlier ordered that lawmakers would be immediately disqualified if convicted by a court in a criminal offense.
Rahul last week told the reporters that he felt the ordinance was “nonsense” and needed to be ‘torn up and thrown out”. The whole drama unfolded when the Prime Minister was abroad and about to meet US President Barack Obama. It is not known why Rahul waited so long to object the ordinance when it was under his nose for so long and his mother, Sonia Gandhi, actually the architect of this ordinance. It may be possible that the strong protests from civic bodies, opposition parties and a section of media against the ordinance must have made Rahul, a late-thinker, to realize that it will cost Congress havoc in the upcoming election if they pass this ordinance. But the way Rahul embarrassed his own government raising several eyebrows.
Tags: Congress government india Manmohan singh ordinance ordinance on convicted leaders Pranab Mukherjee Rahul Gandhi Sonia Gandhi withdraws ordinance
