Date:14/03/2003 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2003/03/14/stories/2003031406361100.htm

National

Cong. has failed as Opposition: SP

By Gargi Parsai

AGRA MARCH 13. The Samajwadi Party today said the Congress had failed to play its role as the largest Opposition party in the country.

"Only the Samajwadi Party is playing that role in Parliament and it will now take it upon itself to lead the Opposition against divisive and communal forces," the party president, Mulayam Singh Yadav, said at a three-day special national convention here today.

Stung by the political developments in Uttar Pradesh that kept it out of power, the party declared its intention to launch a massive agitation against the Bahujan Samaj Party-BJP combine to "fight the system".

Calling upon youth to be prepared for a long-drawn struggle "on principles", he said they should be prepared for "sacrifices" in the intense struggle for change (`parivartan') that may end up in jail.

In his hour-long address that sounded in part like an election rally speech, Mr. Yadav hit out against the "communal, anti-people, anti-farmer, pro-MNC, anti-development" policies of the Government, its stand on the Iraq situation and its policy on disinvestment and unemployment. Sharing the dais with him were new entrants to the party, Rashid Masood and Ranjana Vajpayee, while some of the old timers were in the background.

Looking to the moves on Ayodhya and the possibility of an early Lok Sabha election, the party said in a draft resolution that it was ready to sacrifice its political interests to "give and take the support" of such parties and forces which were ready for a "decisive battle" against divisive forces, while keeping national interests intact.

The draft resolution, moved by a senior leader, Mohan Singh, said the Congress had failed the expectation of playing the role of the largest opposition party in leading the forces of change. "The Congress could not lead the nation against the present regime".

The draft said that the NDA leadership had been able to keep most regional parties happy in their own States as well as at the Centre as alliance partners. "Because of limited and sectarian attitude and thirst for power these parties have betrayed the national cause."

Criticising the BJP, the resolution reiterated its charge of it being a "communal and fundamentalist" party and said to obviate its failures on all fronts it was raising communal issues.

The party called upon the Government to break its silence on Iraq and create public opinion against American hegemony. "Iraq is a friend and we should stand by a friend. The American insistence on attacking Iraq and remove Saddam Hussain is aimed at disintegrating Iraq and taking control of its oil resources," Mr. Yadav said.

On the Uttar Pradesh Government's alleged threats of invoking POTA against Samajwadi leaders, Mr Yadav said they were in the mould of Lohia and JP and ready to face any challenge. "When even Indira Gandhi, who was a mass leader, was defeated by Raj Narain in a court of law as well as in people's court, then who is she (Mayawati)? (Yeh kis khet ki mooli hai... )

Referring to the no-cofidence vote in the U.P. Assembly last fortnight, he said that nowhere in the world had such a motion fallen without debate. "This was because the Government feared that it might have come to a minority as several MLAs were sitting on the fence that day".

Mr. Yadav assailed the Union budget which he said was drawn only for the two-per cent rich, English speaking people of the country. He said it failed to keep in mind the interest of farmers and the poor.