GIVING A MESSAGE: BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu addressing the Dalit Morcha convention in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Photo: Satish H.

HYDERABAD: BJP Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu has said there would have been no need for the party to disturb the proceedings of Parliament if Natwar Singh, who was in the eye of a stormcreated by the Volcker report, had resigned from the Union Cabinet earlier.

Found unfit

The party did not want someone who was found unfit to be in Congress Steering Committee to hold a post in public life, he said, inaugurating a convention organised by the Dalit Morcha of State BJP here on Tuesday.

Mr. Naidu questioned the moral right of Congress and the Left parties to point an accusing finger at the BJP for disturbances in Parliament over the Natwar Singh controversy. Without mentioning the boycott of former Defence Minister George Fernandes by Congress in Parliament over alleged irregularities in purchase of coffins for Kargil martyrs, he asked, "How many days they stalled the House?"

Financial implications

He described as a `good idea' the suggestion of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, to recall legislators who did not fulfil people's expectations, but hastened to add that it had serious financial implications. It would lead to frequent by-elections which was a costly affair.

Instead, awareness could be created among these sections not to elect people who would not deliver the goods. The parties themselves could take independent decisions to omit such candidates.

Mr. Naidu said today's observance as a `black day' by certain political parties to protest against the demolition of the Babri Masjid was part of vote bank politics to garner votes of minorities. He appealed to the minorities to come out of the trap and hand over the controversial land at Ayodhya through dialogue to pave way for the construction of a magnificent temple at the birthplace of Ram. This was the desire of the entire country, he said.

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