The Hindu : Parties condemn Mayawati decision

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 19, 2002

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Parties condemn Mayawati decision

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI SEPT. 18. The Left parties today condemned the decision of the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, not to issue a fresh notification to constitute a special court to try the BJP leaders and three Union Ministers — L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti — and urged the President to intervene to safeguard the rule of law.

In a statement, the CPI(M) politburo charged that Ms. Mayawati had taken the decision under pressure and in connivance with the BJP leaders to save the BSP-BJP coalition Government in U.P.. "It reveals to what length the BJP leadership can go to circumvent the law.''

The party said Ms. Mayawati had provided a reprieve to the BJP leadership on the specious plea that the CBI could initiate the case in "any competent ordinary court''. "When the case has not got going in the special court in almost ten years, one can well imagine what will be its fate in an ordinary court where the proceedings will have to take place afresh'', it said.

The CPI described the decision as "highly regrettable and condemnable'' and said it had thoroughly exposed the political opportunism of Ms. Mayawati and her wilful submission to BJP dictates. Stating that the move would have "serious implications on secularism, democracy and the future of the polity of the country'', it said Ms. Mayawati cannot be absolved from "this treacherous act of bailing out the BJP of the crimes against the rule of law and justice''.

The CPI-ML (Liberation) saw the decision as "another disgraceful milestone in the history of BSP's continuing betrayal''. "On the eve of the September 28 BSP rally which is to be addressed by Mr. Advani, the Mayawati Government has come up with this bail-out package for the BJP leaders,'' it said and added that "Ms. Mayawati is paying the price for its political alliance with the BJP.''

The Congress spokesman, Anand Sharma, said it was "a pity that senior Ministers in the NDA Government are hiding behind technicalities to escape punishment for serious crimes committed by them.'' Describing Ms. Mayawati's decision as a "gross violation of constitutional responsibility and a crude attempt to curry favour with the persons in authority by letting them free'' he sought to remind the Chief Minister that she herself had demanded a fresh notification when she was in the Opposition.

However, the Congress was not very certain about its future course of action, maintaining that the matter was sub-judice. All that Mr. Sharma said to repeated queries was that the Congress would take all possible political and legal measures to ensure that the guilty were brought to book.

Condemning Ms. Mayawati's decision, the Nationalist Congress Party said it would demolish the common people's faith in the rule of law. "Contrary to the assertions of Ms. Mayawati that she was `not in favour of constituting a special court for the prosecution of anyone, no matter how big or small', it is clear that her manoeuvrings are meant to benefit the political heavyweights who are lifting the burden of her rule in U.P.,'' a party statement said.

On Ms. Mayawati's contention that the CBI could carry on with the case, it said "the seriousness of the CBI is before everyone''.

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