The Hindu : Parties agree on unanimous resolution

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 17, 2002

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Parties agree on unanimous resolution

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MAY 16. It has been more or less agreed by all major political parties that after a debate on the security scenario, with reference to the May 14 terrorist strike in Jammu, in the Lok Sabha tomorrow, a unanimous resolution, most likely to be moved by the Chair, will be adopted. The intention is to send out a clear signal that the country is united in its response to the ghastly incident which claimed more than 30 innocent lives.

The Speaker, Manohar Joshi, called a meeting of the party leaders in his office this evening. The debate under Rule 193 is to start at 12 noon on the notice given by Congress leader, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi. Notices by several leaders of different political parties have also been received by the Speaker's office.

The effort will be to wind up the debate by 5 p.m. with a reply by the Home Minister, L.K. Advani, after which the Speaker will move a resolution. The sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party indicated that the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, would also intervene at some point.

The notice given by Mr. Dasmunshi reads: "This House expresses its deep concern pertaining to the security of the nation as a result of the frequent onslaught against civilians and Government establishments and killings of innocent people as happened in Jammu on May 14 which threatens our internal security.'' The exact wording of the resolution from the Chair will be decided tomorrow.

Among those who attended Mr. Joshi's meeting were the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pramod Mahajan, the BJP chief whip, V. K. Malhotra, the Congress leaders, Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and Shivraj Patil, the CPI (M) leader, Somnath Chatterjee, the Samajwadi Party president, Mulayam Singh Yadav, the BSP leader, Rashid Alvi, the Lok Janshakti Party chief, Ram Vilas Paswan, and the leader of the Telugu Desam Party, Yerran Naidu.

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