With the Union Cabinet on Tuesday clearing an ordinance aimed at protecting convicted MPs and MLAs from facing immediate disqualification after a Supreme Court order, the ruling Congress and Opposition parties — BJP and Left parties — on Wednesday entered into a verbal duel.
While the Congress claimed that the move was aimed at “protecting the dignity of the Constitution,” the saffron party opposed the decision terming it to be an attempt to save “cheats, frauds, murderers”. The Left parties while opposing the decision said the UPA government was “repeatedly using the Ordinance route which is undemocratic.”
Refuting the accusations made by Opposition leaders, Congress leader and I&B minister Manish Tewari took a dig at BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, who had requested the President not to sign it, saying the constitutionality of legal enactments could be decided by courts and not by the Opposition party.
“We are opposed to it. We request the President not to sign it. President is not obliged to sign an Ordinance that is unconstitutional,” Ms Swaraj had on Tuesday said on Twitter.
Mr Tiwari in a response via a Twitter post addressed to Ms Swaraj said “the constitutionality or otherwise of legal enactments are tested in constitutional courts and not in the BJP’s moat.”
“Unsolicited advice is neither appreciated nor taken seriously. These are the first principles of the legal profession. Advice of Leader of Opposition amusing, surprising,” he added. The ordinance to undo the apex court’s verdict was brought after the government failed to get a Bill to this effect passed in Parliament during the Monsoon Session.
AICC spokesperson Raj Babbar on behalf of the party denied suggestions that the ordinance was rushed through to protect some leaders belonging to Congress and supporting parties.
“Individuals are not being protected. The dignity of the Constitution is being protected. We have protected the Constition. If a person convicted by a court is later freed by a higher court and in the meanwhile he is disqualified, then questions will be raised,” Mr Babbar said.
However, BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, “Our party is shocked at this ordinance. We would like to know whose great idea it is — is it Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or Rahul Gandhi or is it UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Who was eager to promulgate an ordinance to make frauds, cheats, rapists and murderers as our MPs and MLAs?”