Thackeray's views unconstitutional: Singhvi

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, DEC 26. Dr. L. M. Singhvi, a senior member of the BJP from the Rajya Sabha, has rejected the idea of disenfranchisement of Muslims or separate electorates for them floated by the Shiv Sena chief, Mr. Bal Thackeray, and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader, Mr. Ashok Singhal.

Dr. Singhvi, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, has said the idea of disenfranchisement and separate electorates violates the letter and spirit of the Constitution, and the right to vote cannot be taken away even by a constitutional amendment. If ``Such a constitutional amendment would be ... struck down by the Supreme Court,'' he said.

Warning against adopting an attitude that can only breed hate and alienation in the body politic, Mr. Singhvi ``appealed'' to Mr. Thackeray and Mr. Singhal ``to reconsider their views.''

Handling Mr. Thackeray's criticism of ``vote bank politics'' with kid gloves, Mr. Singhvi said ``retaliation by unconstitutional means (that is, disenfranchisement)'' can only boost ``narrow communalism'' and ``vote bank secularism.''

Then he sought to virtually equate Muslim resistance to Vande Mataram to Mr. Thackeray's demand for their disenfranchisement.

``Those who opposed Saraswati prayer and Vande Mataram were entirely wrong. Mr. Thackeray is also wrong in proposing separate electorates and disenfranchisement of Muslims. Two wrongs can never make a right,'' he added.

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Section  : National
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