The Hindu : National : Terrorism motion may backfire on BJP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006

National

National

Terrorism motion may backfire on BJP

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: In the political battle between the Government and the Opposition, perhaps the unkindest cut came from Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi here on Monday.

Commenting on the remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj on the powers of the President under Article 143 of the Constitution, Mr. Dasmunsi advised her to "pay more attention to what [expelled BJP leader] Madan Lal Khurana is saying". He was referring to the spate of allegations made almost on a daily basis by Mr. Khurana against a galaxy of BJP leaders including L.K. Advani, Jaswant Singh and Ms. Swaraj herself.

At several press conferences here over the last 10 days, Mr. Khurana demanded a thorough probe into her alleged links with Romesh Sharma, who is in jail facing a host of charges. He further alleged that Mr. Sharma in turn had links with Dawood Ibrahim, wanted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

If Mr. Khurana is to be believed, this issue will be raised in Parliament. In fact, some ruling party members believe that the BJP has scuttled its own motion on terrorism fearing that questions related to Kandahar and Kargil, revived by the recently published memoirs of Mr. Jaswant Singh, and allegations made by Mr. Khurana could unsettle the Opposition's argument that the Manmohan Singh Government is "soft on terrorism".

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National