The Hindu : National : Parrikar to file writ petition today

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Friday, Feb 11, 2005

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National

Parrikar to file writ petition today

By Our Staff Correspondent

PANAJI, FEB. 10. The former Goa Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar, will be filing a writ petition challenging the dismissal of his Government by the Governor, S.C. Jamir, before the Supreme Court on Friday. He would also seek a direction to reinstate his Government.

Mr. Parrikar told reporters here today that the former Solicitor-General, Soli Sorabjee, would lead the arguments when the petition came up for hearing.

A direction would also be sought to declare the Governor's action unconstitutional, he added.

The petition, to be filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, would dwell upon various issues, including fundamental rights, as the action of the Governor was arbitrary. Brushing aside rumours that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was not supporting him in the legal battle, he said the party was with him always.

Meanwhile, the senior BJP leader, S.S. Ahluwalia, who was in Goa as part of the BJP's nationwide "Jamir Hatao Loktantra Bachao" campaign, told reporters that the party would seek action against Mr. Jamir for not abiding by the advice of the Council of Ministers.

He noted that the Cabinet had on February 1 resolved to go in for a trial of strength on February 3 and sent an advice to the Governor. But he disregarded the same and ordered that the session be convened on February 2 itself.

Holding the Congress responsible for the sorry state of affairs in Goa, Mr. Ahluwalia said the party was the "mother of all conventions, all corruption and all deviations in the country."

He alleged that the Congress could not tolerate any other party ruling any State and used Governors to demolish democratically elected governments.Goa would be the main plank of NDA in the coming budget session of Parliament, Mr. Ahluwalia said. He noted that "one cannot say democracy was live sitting in Delhi when it was murdered in one State."

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