The Hindu : National : NDA to boycott five `tainted' Ministers

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Thursday, Jul 08, 2004

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National

NDA to boycott five `tainted' Ministers

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, JULY 7. The Opposition parties ended their virtual "boycott" of Parliament today with the MPs of the Bharatiya Janata Party, its partners in the National Democratic Alliance and supporting parties such as the Telugu Desam Party and the AIADMK returning to both the Houses in full strength to take part in the debate on the Railway Budget.

The "boycott" will hereafter be restricted to five Ministers — Railways Minister Lalu Prasad; Coal and Mines Minister Shibu Soren; Minister of State for Company Affairs Prem Chand Gupta; Minister of State for Heavy Industries Taslimuddin and Minister of State for Water Resources Jay Prakash Narayan Yadav. The BJP deputy leaders in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, V.K. Malhotra and Sushma Swaraj, announced that the decision was taken today. It was confirmed by Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani after he held a meeting with NDA leaders.

Akali Dal and BJP MPs from Punjab will also "boycott" the Minister of State for Non-Resident Affairs, Jagdish Tytler, as he was an accused in a case related to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 (he has since been acquitted by a court).

The NDA decision was in line with the recommendation of a five-member committee set up for the purpose yesterday. The committee submitted its report to Mr. Advani today following which the decision not to disrupt parliamentary proceedings and to participate in the debate on the Railway Budget was taken. Ms. Swaraj said that in the next few days an NDA delegation would meet the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to impress upon him the need to drop the "tainted" Ministers and uphold high values.

A memorandum similar to the one already submitted to the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, would be given to Dr. Singh. She said the Opposition MPs would not put any questions to the "tainted" Ministers, nor listen to their replies in Parliament. "We have not given up our protest on this issue but we have changed the form of protest," she said. When it was pointed out that BJP MP, Sushil Modi, led the Opposition in the debate on the Railway Budget and, in fact, pointedly placed demands before the Minister, Ms. Swaraj said the Opposition had decided that it would "have its say."

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