The Hindu : Congress misused Article 356: Advani

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 22, 2004

National

National

Congress misused Article 356: Advani

NARSIMPUR (MADHYA PRADESH), MARCH 21. Favouring simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today accused the previous Congress Governments of misusing Article 356 and imposing too many elections on the people.

``The first three elections were held simultaneously but due to the misuse of Article 356 by the Congress, this pattern was broken and separate elections were held,'' Mr. Advani told a press conference here on the 12th day of his "Bharat Uday Yatra."

``This is a burden not only in terms of resources but also affects governance and decision-making. I will be happy if there is a consensus on holding simultaneous parliamentary and Assembly elections in the country,'' he said.

On the Ram temple issue, he said that only a negotiated settlement could provide a lasting solution as even a court verdict would not be ``enduring."

``We made a lot of progress during the talks. I am confident that the matter will be resolved shortly after the elections.'' ``There were suggestions that we do it before the polls but we do not want to link it with elections,'' he said.

Mr. Advani expressed the hope that a Ram temple would soon be built at Ayodhya as the atmosphere was congenial. A "Bharat Mata" temple would also be built for the country, he said.

On the uniform civil code, he said that it needed a constitutional amendment ``but we are bound by coalition dharma where we have to work according to a common agreed programme.'' The issue is not on the NDA Government's agenda, he said.

Even if the Bharatiya Janata Party got a clear majority in the coming elections, there would be a coalition Government at the Centre, he said.

On the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government's performance, he said its achievements in building world-class highways and its road-building programme in rural areas had lent credibility to it. ``In contrast, the Congress stood exposed as the party of venality, incompetence and mismanagement. In Madhya Pradesh, its claim to be a modern State turned out to be nothing but a hoax. In Rajasthan, its bungling of drought relief proved its undoing while in Chhattisgarh, the Congress regime climbed new heights in corruption and immoral governance,'' Mr. Advani said.

"In just six years we have shown that development is not an empty promise. With good governance and commitment the people of India can realise their potential. The coming polls are being fought on the basis of leadership and development. On both counts, the Congress is no match for the BJP.'' To a question on Indo-Pakistan relations, he said: ``Efforts to improve ties are on but there should be no let-up in security measures.''

``Despite a joint statement by the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, there was an attack on the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. So, there is no scope for complacency.''

Addressing a rally at Sagar here, Mr. Advani said: ``We are preparing an agenda for governance for the NDA and a vision document for the BJP where we will explain what `fully developed' means. When we say that by 2020 we will make India a developed country, the document will also set the parameters to judge the progress we have made.''

On filmstars joining the party, he said the BJP was still a party with a difference and compared it with the Congress before Independence.

During the freedom struggle ``everyone joined the Congress as they thought this was the only party that could get freedom for the nation.

Similarly, now, everyone has come to believe, whether they are sportsmen, filmstars or politicians, that this was the only party that can make India a great country.''

Hitting out at the Congress, he said: ``After the initial few years in office and after the demise of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the degeneration started and they failed to make India a developed country despite vast resources and talent in abundance. And, the present Congress is even worse.''

He also said that despite the Congress being in power for 10 continuous years, Madhya Pradesh was ``very bad'' and there was no bijli, sadak or pani. If the present BJP Government led by Uma Bharti failed to fulfil the promises and improve the situation, it would also have to face the consequences as the last Congress Government did.

PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National