 |
||
|
||
|
||
Following is the text of the letter handed over by Congress
president Sitaram Kesri to President S D Sharma, withdrawing the
party's support to the United Front (UF) Government.
Respected Rashtrapatiji,
The Congress Working Committee extended its support to the 13-party
coalition-United Front to form Government at the Centre by a
resolution dated 12th of May, 1996. The Congress Working Committee
reviewed its decision on two subsequent occasions on 4th November.
1996 and 16th February 1997.
In these two meetings, Congress Working Committee reviewed the
performance of United Front Government headed by Mr H D Deve Gowda.
CWC expressed its concern over the deteriorating law and order
situation, drift in the economy leading to rising prices and
unemployment growing communal menace and lack of cohesive
functioning of the Government.
The principle of collective responsibility of the Cabinet was
completely ignored which is imperative for any parliamentary form
of Government.
They very basis of the support of the Congress Party to the United
Front Government led by Mr H D Deve Gowda was to contain the
communal forces and consolidate the secular forces. This objective
was reiterated in the resolution of the Congress Working Committee
dated 16th February, 1997. It appealed to the United Front
Government to critically review its own performance.
It was stated in the same resolution inter alia.
"C.W.C. is constrained to note that the UF has failed to provide
the leadership necessary to consolidate the forces of secularism
and to confront the forces of communalism. In UP, Punjab and
series of bye-elections the UF failed to work together with
Congress to contain the forces of communalism. On the other hand
the anti-Congressism which was the main objective of non-Congress
political parties is still dominant in the constituent units of the
UF They have not come out of their old mooring."
I myself expressed our concern to constituent parties of the United
Front and requested them to take corrective measures but
unfortunately nothing happened.
It appears that the efforts of the United Front Government headed
by Mr H D Deve Gowda are determined to marginalise Congress and to
allow the urgent national issues to take back seat. The law and
order situation of the country today has completely collapsed. In
the State of Uttar Pradesh where the Central Government was
directly responsible for its administration, the Union Home
Minister was constrained to observe that the situation there was
heading towards "anarchy, chaos and destruction".
The sensitive defence issues and security requirement of the
country have not been properly addressed. There is an overall
demoralising effect in the civic services and in various organs of
the Government.
Lack of co-ordination, direction and will to govern have created a
situation of drift. Communal divisive and separatist forces are
raising their heads in almost every part of the country and there
is no serious effort to arrest this. I am enclosing copies of two
resolutions dated 4th of November, 1996 and 16th February, 1997 for
your kind perusal and ready reference.
In view of the changed situation, the Congress Party is compelled
to withdraw its support from the United Front Government headed by
Mr H D Deve Gowda with immediate effect. I take this opportunity to
request you to take such steps as you consider necessary.
With respect and personal regards,
Yours sincerely,
(Sitaram Kesri).
|
||
|
||
|
||