New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday alleged that the Congress, which is opposing the imposition of President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh tooth and nail, is not best suited to discuss democracy as they have never practiced it externally or internally.
“I don’t think that the Congress is best suited to discuss democracy having never practiced it either externally or internally. One simple fact should be sufficient if a state assembly doesn’t call a session for six months then it breaks the constitutional requirement,” BJP spokesperson M.J. Akbar told ANI here.
“In Arunachal Pradesh, we are seeing a complete breakdown of constitutional machinery, the constitutional requirements. This is why President Pranab Mukherjee has passed the order for the President’s rule,” he added.
President Pranab Mukherjee yesterday gave his assent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s recommendation to put Arunachal Pradesh under Central rule.
The decision came right after he hosted the ‘At Home’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan for French President Francois Hollande as part of the 67th Republic Day celebrations.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has appointed two retired civil servants G.S. Patnaik and Y.S. Dadwal as advisors to Arunachal Pradesh Governor Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa.
Arunachal plunged into a political crisis in June last year after a section of the Congress MLAs (14 of them) was suspended by Speaker Nadam Rebia, along with two ministers.
The Congress retained its majority, but very soon Deputy Speaker T.N. Thongdok cleared an impeachment motion against the Speaker ‘owing to his personal relation with (then) Chief Minister Nabam Tuki’.
The Congress, which is determined to stall the ratification of President’s rule in the state, is mulling both legal and political options to fight the same. The decision in this regard was taken at a meeting yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear the Congress’ plea challenging the Cabinet’s decision at 2 p.m. today. (ANI)