The Hindu : National : Sonia's status: Surprise over Bhardwaj's suggestion

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

National

National

Sonia's status: Surprise over Bhardwaj's suggestion

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 9. Senior official sources are surprised that the Union Law Minister, Hans Raj Bhardwaj, was reported in a section of the media to have suggested that as Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on implementation of the Common Minimum Programme, Sonia Gandhi could call for any Government file.

The rules of business, according to senior officials, are clear. Only the Prime Minister can call for any file from any Ministry; the Finance Minister can demand to see a file from any Ministry if he wants to examine the financial implications; the Law Ministry has similar access if there is a legal angle; and the Ministry of personnel can send for files in matters involving questions about a bureaucrat's ethical behaviour.

The Cabinet rank and status for the Congress president is only a statement of protocol, entitling her to certain administrative facilities; in addition, she can request various Ministers, and through them officials, to come and depose before her committee.

Official position notwithstanding, the Opposition has taken Mr. Bhardwaj to task for making the controversial statement. Describing the statement as "shocking," the BJP parliamentary party spokesperson, V.K. Malhotra, said: "Such a procedure would be totally against the transaction and allocation of business rules and would violate the oath of secrecy taken by the Ministers."

Mr. Malhotra added that "we do not object to Cabinet rank being given to the chairman of the CMP implementation committee... she enjoyed that rank as the Leader of Opposition... but the Law Minister's statement is highly objectionable." According to him "a superpower centre" was being created which was "extra-constitutional."

The Congress spokesperson, Anand Sharma said he could not understand what the fuss was all about. He told reporters that he had spoken to Mr. Bhardwaj who informed him that an "official committee" would be set up to oversee the implementation of the Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance; and this committee, as per Mr. Bhardwaj's understanding, could ask for a status report — not government files — from the Ministry concerned, and this arrangement was "perfectly legal and constitutional."

"We are correct politically and constitutionally in all we do," Mr. Sharma said, adding that the BJP's criticism was "malicious."

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