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Resolution is legitimate: LDF

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Left Democratic Front Chief Whip Anathalavattom Anandan has said that there is nothing unconstitutional about the resolution adopted by the Assembly on Friday calling upon the Centre to withdraw from the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal.

Rebutting the Congress leader Aryadan Mohammed’s charge that the resolution was unconstitutional and beyond the jurisdiction of the Assembly, Mr. Anandan said in a statement here on Sunday that since the nuclear deal concerned the country’s economic and political sovereignty and security, the Assembly had all justification for adopting it. Mr. Mohammed’s criticism of the resolution only showed his reluctance to speak in support of the nuclear deal.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader said Article 253 or sections 119 (b) and (d) of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly did not bar adoption of a resolution making an appeal to the Union government. The only bar was on enactment of legislation that would question a law coming under the jurisdiction of the Centre. The Assembly had adopted several resolutions making different demands to the Centre.

It, for instance, adopted a resolution on March 3, 2000, against the Indo-U.S. trade agreement seeking to import 1,200 industrial goods into the country. Other such resolutions had supported the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, demanded stoppage of temple construction at Ayodhya and takeover of the disputed land at Ayodhya by the Centre and hailed the attainment of freedom by Bangladesh. All these were adopted when Mr. Mohammed was a member of the Assembly. If he did see unconstitutionality in the present resolution and none in the earlier ones, it was intended only to confuse the people, Mr. Anandan said.

Under Rule 119 (d) of the Rules of Procedures, the Assembly could not adopt any resolution relating to a matter not applicable to the State government. Was the nuclear deal something applicable only to States other than Kerala? Were not Keralites Indians? How could an agreement that was applicable to the whole of India be not applicable to Kerala?

Under Rule 121 of the Rules of Procedure, it was for the Speaker to decide the admissibility of a resolution. The Speaker admitted it seeing that it was in keeping with the rules and precedents. There was nothing unconstitutional in it. Mr. Mohammed was clinging on to technicalities, Mr. Anandan said.

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