A political conspiracy, says SP

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JULY 25. Parliament was adjourned for the day after lunch on Wednesday as a mark of respect to the Samajwadi Party member of the Lok Sabha, Ms. Phoolan Devi, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at her Ashoka Road residence earlier.

Barely had the Lok Sabha resumed the discussion on the Agra summit when the Congress Deputy Chief Whip, Mr. Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, interrupted and asked the Government to confirm media reports about the killing of the SP member. Soon, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. Pramod Mahajan, confirmed seeing a report on TV on the killing.

The news created a flutter as shell-shocked members demanded a statement from the Government. The Samajwadi Party president, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, shaken by the news, rushed out with some of his MPs. Later, he said it was shocking such incidents could take place in the national capital, barely a kilometer away from Parliament, when it was in session. Mr. Mahajan then urged the Speaker to adjourn the House for half an hour to enable the Government to ascertain the facts.

During a brief session half-an-hour later, the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, informed the House about the facts gathered from the Delhi Police Commissioner before Parliament was adjourned for the day. A minute's silence was observed by the members.

The SP general secretary, Mr. Amar Singh, blamed the BJP Government in Uttar Pradesh, especially the Chief Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh, for withdrawing her security. He demanded Mr. Advani's resignation for the Government's inability to prevent such killings. ``He should quit as killings are now taking place right under his nose, and all that is left is for somebody to be shot in the main porch of Parliament House.''

He held Mr. Rajnath Singh morally responsible for the killing through his decision to withdraw security for top SP leaders, including Mr. Mulayan Singh. Alleging that the murder was the first step ``of a political conspiracy'' to eliminate the top SP leadership, he said, ``none of us are safe, not even Mr. Mulayam Singh.''

The Congress general secretary, Ms. Ambika Soni, describing Ms. Phoolan Devi as a ``brave and courageous woman'', said the recent series of violent acts in the State proved that none was safe under the Rajnath Singh Government.

The Lok Janshakti chief and Communications Minister, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, said the nation had lost a brave woman hailing from a backward caste.

The TDP parliamentary party leader, Mr. K. Yerran Naidu, said her past image had been obliterated by her exemplary work among the poor, exploited, downtrodden, backwards and minorities. According to the JD(U) president and Civil Aviation Minister, Mr. Sharad Yadav, she was a social worker who looked after the interests of the downtrodden.

UNI, PTI report:

Condemning the killing, the BJP parliamentary party spokesman, Mr. V. K. Malhotra, said the real challenge before the Delhi police was to nab the culprits.

The Bahujan Samaj Party vice-president and former Chief Minister, Ms. Mayawati, demanded a high-level inquiry saying those involved in the gruesome killing should be punished. Expressing anguish, she said described Ms. Phoolan Devi as a fighter ``who throughout her life struggled against injustices and rose to become an MP''.

The CPI(M)'s Mr. Somnath Chatterjee criticised the Government for ``the delay in disseminating'' information about the incident in Parliament and expressed shock at the ``level of security'' given to her. The CPI general secretary, Mr. A. B Bardhan, said the Centre should be held fully responsible for the incident and demanded Mr. Advani's resignation.

In Patna, the Bihar Chief Minister, Ms. Rabri Devi, expressed shock over the gruesome murder.

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