Hindu Vivek Kendra
A RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE PROMOTION OF HINDUTVA
   
 
 
«« Back
HVK Archives: UF Govt in bind on Opp demand for Central rule

UF Govt in bind on Opp demand for Central rule - The Observer

Observer Political Bureau ()
25 July 1997

Title: UF Govt in bind on Opp demand for Central rule
Author: Observer Political Bureau
Publication: The Observer
Date: July 25, 1997

The United Front Government at the Centre was caught in a bind on Thursday,
with the noose tightening round the neck of Bihar Chief Minister Laloo
Prasad Yadav following the Patna High Court's rejection of his anticipatory
bail petition and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Opposition stridently
demanding imposition of President rule in the State.

After the court's rejection of the Chief Minister's anticipatory bail plea,
the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), ostensibly, has little option
but to arrest Mr Yadav - if only because the agency will need to justify
its own previous position.

CBI opposed Mr Yadav's bail plea in the court on two grounds: The argument
that the truth would eventually come out in a custodial interrogation and
that there was a possibility of the evidence being tampered with - if the
Chief Minister's arrest was denied.

There is, therefore, every reason to believe that CBI will shortly strive
to take Mr Yadav into custody, unless the agency is pressurised into
behaving in a manner contrary to general expectations.

In his intervention during the debate on a BJP-sponsored adjournment motion
criticising the Centre for its "passive attitude" towards developments in
Bihar, Prime Minister I K Gujral, meanwhile, told the Lok Sabha that his
Government would "not be found wanting in the wake of new developments, but
would not commit , any illegality and the rule of law will be preserved."

An informal meeting of the Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of the
Prime Minister discussed the situation arising out of Mr Laloo Yadav's
refusal to resign after the chargesheet on Thursday morning, sources said.

They said that Mr Gujral was of the view that there was no alternative for
Mr Laloo Yadav but to resign.

Speaking in Parliament, the Prime Minister, however, virtually ruled out
the imposition of President's rule in the State, saying that "a new
situation has arisen and the Government will take due cognizance of it."

Rejecting the BJP's charge that the Centre was being "passive" regarding
the developments in Bihar arising out of the fodder seam, Mr Gujral
reiterated that the Chief Minister should resign in the wake of chargesheet
against him.

Mr Gujral, however, did not respond to a query by Samata Party member
Nitish Kumar as to what the Government would do if the Chief Minister was
arrested.

Referring to Leader of the Opposition Atal Behari Vajpayee's demand for
immediate imposition of President's rule in the State, the Prime Minister
said that a Chief Minister belonging to the BJP was the most vociferous in
opposing the use of Article 356 of the Constitution at the recent meeting
of the Inter-State Council. "We should not do anything which smacks of
illegality," he said.

Mr Vajpayee, while moving his adjournment motion, demanded in the Lok Sabha
imposition of President's rule in the State, alleging "total failure of the
constitutional machinery" following the CBI chargesheet against the Chief
Minister in the fodder scam.

"The use of Article 356 in Bihar to impose Central rule in the present
circumstances will be a lesser evil as democracy is in danger," Mr Vajpayee
said.

Initiating a discussion on his adjournment motion on the Bihar situation,
Mr Vajpayee criticised the stand taken by Mr Laloo Yadav that he would like
to be hanged rather than resign from his post on moral grounds and said
that it appeared that all other options to deal with the situation had been
closed.

The BJP leader said that Mr Laloo Yadav had thrown to winds all values,
norms and traditions that persons holding high offices should quit if
charges of corruption were found prima facie true.

The adjournment motion sought to censure the Central Government for its
"passive attitude" over the recent developments in Bihar.

Meanwhile, the rejection of the anticipatory bail petition of the Bihar
Chief Minister and the designated CBI court taking cognizance of the case
against him are likely to make the demand for his immediate resignation
from the Left and the Janata Dal shriller.

A senior Left leader told The Observer of Business and Politics that "with
the court's rejection of the anticipatory bail, Mr Yadav's remaining as
Chief Minister is totally untenable. The Central Government should provide
all assistance to see that CBI is not hampered in its investigations by
vested interests."

Asked if the Left parties would support Mr Yadav's arrest, he said,
"Apprehensions of a law and order problem cannot be an excuse for not
arresting the guilty. If that is the principle, then why take the case to
a court of law. We are going to tell the steering committee in no
uncertain terms that the wheels of law must be kept turning whatever be the
provocation."

Earlier, rejecting the anticipatory bail applications of the Bihar Chief
Minster and two of his ministerial colleagues and a former Union Minister,
Justice D S Dhaliwal described the fodder seam as a "crime against the
nation and the very people."

The court observed that with the advent of Mr Laloo Yadav as the Chief
Minister, fraudulent drawals registered a phenomenal rise. Frequent
patronage were extended to the scamsters by way of granting extension to
their services, staying their transfers and so on. The court even felt
that attempts were made to influence the witnesses.


Back                          Top

«« Back
 
 
 
  Search Articles
 
  Special Annoucements