The Hindu : National : Opposition unable to digest change of regime: Rahul

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Thursday, Jun 10, 2004

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National

Opposition unable to digest change of regime: Rahul

AMETHI, JUNE 9. Asserting that the United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre was functioning with full freedom, the Congress Member of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, said today that the Opposition was levelling allegations of "two power centres" as it had not been able to "digest" the change of regime.

"The Manmohan Singh Government is functioning with full freedom and without any interference from any quarters but those who had propagated the feel-good factor during the Lok Sabha elections are not able to digest the change of regime," Mr. Gandhi told PTI here.

"These are the same people who have indulged in levelling baseless allegations against my family," he said when asked to comment on reports of "two centres of power in the Union Government." Mr. Gandhi said the Government had decided to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) as it had been "misused" in the past. The problem of terrorism should be "sternly dealt with," he said but did not elaborate.

He dismissed the Opposition campaign against "tainted" Ministers in the UPA Government saying, "those BJP people who are doing the finger-pointing now are themselves tainted."

On his mother, Sonia Gandhi's refusal to accept the Prime Minister's post, he said she did what an ideal Indian woman should have done. "One need not occupy the post of Prime Minister to serve the country," he said.

"It was a personal decision of my mother but it was a befitting reply to those who used to level baseless allegations against her and my family," Mr. Gandhi said.

Asked to comment on the recent killing of a Congressman in neighbouring Rae Bareli, Mr. Gandhi said that if the law and order situation was `bad' in the whole of Uttar Pradesh, it was `worse' in Rae Bareli. As an MP of the area it would be his endeavour to ensure all-round development of the constituency.

`Remarks based on U.P. situation'

According to a PTI report from New Delhi, the Congress said that Mr. Gandhi's reported remarks on the replacement of the Samajwadi Party Government in Uttar Pradesh were based on the prevailing law and order situation in the State but parried a question whether it would withdraw support to that Government.

"The party leadership will take an appropriate view. As and when any view is taken by the party's working committee, we will promptly get back to you," the party spokesman, Anand Sharma, told reporters when asked whether the Congress would review its support to the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government.

"Mr. Rahul Gandhi made a comment on the serious situation prevailing in U.P. He has highlighted only what has been said during the recent Lok Sabha polls," Mr. Sharma said.

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