The Hindu : National : Najma betrayed trust: Soz

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Monday, Jun 14, 2004

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National

Najma betrayed trust: Soz

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUNE 13. Senior Congress leader, Saifuddin Soz, today termed the move of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson, Najma Heptulla, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party as "a betrayal of trust and a classic case of political opportunism."

"The overwhelming public opinion in the country suggests that Najma did a political volte face for being in the Rajya Sabha for the fifth time," Prof. Soz said in a statement here.

Many of her former Congress colleagues feel "extremely dismayed" that she had let down the party which not only gave her the longest tenure in the Rajya Sabha but also the opportunity for playing a role at the international level, particularly at the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

Prof. Soz said that her decision had particularly troubled members of her community, who felt "further bewildered the other day on her refusal to comment on Gujarat before TV channels."

Ms. Heptulla forgot that the Gujarat massacres and Narendra Modi's role were condemned by a vast majority of the people, irrespective of caste, colour and creed and that they were mainly responsible for the decimation of BJP in the recent general elections.

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