HVK Archives: Gupta admits UP heading towards chaos and destruction
Gupta admits UP heading towards chaos and destruction - The Observer
Observer Political Bureau
()
25 February 1997
Title : Gupta admits UP heading towards chaos and destruction
Author : Observer Political Bureau
Publication : The Observer
Date : February 25, 1997
Failure of Uttar Pradesh Governor Romesh Bhandari to install a
popular Government in the state came into sharp focus in the Lok
Sabha on Monday with the Bharatiya Janata Party tabling a motion on
deteriorating law and order in the state and forcing an adjournment
on the issue in Rajya Sabha.
In both Houses, the main opposition party, demanded immediate
recall of Governor due to total collapse of law and order situation
in Uttar Pradesh.
While Speaker P A Sangma reserved his ruling on the admissibility
of the motion on the subject moved under Rule 184, moved by Leader
of Opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Bharatiya Janata Party
elder forced an adjournment of the Rajya Sabha half an hour ahead
of scheduled for lunch.
Sangma reserved his ruling on the motion because it provides for
voting in the House for Tuesday by when he expects the Union Home
Ministry to send a report to him. The BJP continued to press for
discussion under rule 184, while CPI (M) suggested that the matter
be discussed utter Rule 193.
The issue raised by Vajpayee in Lok Sabha turned into a lengthy
impromptu discussion during which Union Home Minister Indrajit
Gupta admitted that Uttar Pradesh was "heading towards anarchy,
chaos and destruction",
The Home Minister, however, said various forces were responsible
for the present situation and said the Government was prepared to
face a thorough discussion in the House. The House should reach a
consensus on what steps need to be taken to rectify the situation,
Gupta said.
Earlier raising the issue Vajpayee wondered as to "what would be
the remedy if President's rule too failed in the state".
He said democracy was being denied to the most populous state and
the Governor was interested in only "perpetuating" his own rule
instead of trying to usher in popular rule as directed by the
Allahabad High Court.
Demanding the Governor's recall, Vajpayee said: "Has he become so
indispensable?"
Political killings apart from mafia and revenge killings of Dalits
were on in the State while banks and shops were being looted in
broad daylight and Dalit women being raped, he said referring to
the killing of his party leader, Brahm Dutt Dwivedi, arising out of
a political conspiracy.
The BJP veteran also wondered why the killers had still not been
traced.
Concurring with Vajpayee's views, former Prime Minister
Chandrashekhar suggested that prime Minister, Home Minister and
Defence Minister should sit together to save the state from
anarchy.
CPI (M) leader Somnath Chatterjee suggested that the setting up of
an advisory council to the Governor. "We also want a popular
government to be formed," he said.
In the Rajya Sabha, the issue raised by BJP member Rajnath Singh as
a Zero Hour mention generated lot of heat and the House was
adjourned amid noisy scenes. The chair's pleas for order was
repeatedly ignored by the slogan shouting BJP members, demanding
the recall of the Governor, and the members from the treasury
benches.
Amid noisy scenes Human Resource Development Minister S R Bommai
rose to respond on behalf of the Government but was shouted down by
angry Bharatiya Janata Party members.
"He is not the Home Minister," said BJP members. Rajnath Singh
demanded Bhandari's recall, prompting deputy chairperson Najma
Heptullah to chide the members for referring to a constitutional
authority in such a manner.
Interestingly Congress member Sibtey Razi too alleged that the
governor was "utilising Raj Bhavan for his personal gains".
He also criticised the United Front Government for failing in its
efforts to install a popular government in the state.
It was only after the Upper House reconvened after lunch break that
tempers cooled down and the Bharatiya Janata Party members accepted
the Government's assurance given by Union Minister of State for
Parliamentary Affairs U Venkateswarulu that the matter would be
discussed at length later that they allowed the House to function.
The minister's assurance came after senior Congress leader Pranab
Mukherjee, suggested that the issue could be deliberated upon in
detail on a day to be fixed by the House.
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