HVK Archives: Cong resents govt stand on Ayodhya
Cong resents govt stand on Ayodhya - Financial Express
FE News Service
()
7 June 1996
Title : Cong. resents Govt stand on Ayodhya
Author : FE News Service
Publication : Financial Express
Date : June 7, 1996
THE Congress has certain reservations about the Common
Minimum Programme of the United Front, especially on
issues like Ayodhya and Centre- State relations, even
though the Deve Gowda Government has, in toto, accepted
the economic agenda of Manmohan Singh.
The Congress, which reserved its comments on the
contentious issues, said that these will be considered at
the Congress Working Committee meeting scheduled for June
13.
Reacting to the UF document, the AICC spokesman, V N
Gadgil, said, "On economic policy, we broadly welcome
the United Front's stand." He expressed satisfaction that
the Front has followed the policy format initiated by
the Narasimha Rao Government.
Gadgil claimed that there was a consensus on economic
policy among various parties. In fact, repeated
commitments notwithstanding, the Congress has been
fighting shy of taking up financial sector reforms in the
face of stiff resistance from trade unions and organised
labour force in the banking and insurance sector.
Exhibiting an unconcealed glee on finding that the
Communists who were in the forefront of organising
strikes in the sector till elections have now performed a
drastic turnaround, Congress leaders said the party was
now setting the economic agenda for all the non-BJP
parties in the country.
However, the Congress will not allow the United Front to
dilute the unitary structure of the Indian Union, party
sources said. The party is unhappy that the Deve Gowda
Government wants to go even beyond the Sarkaria
Commission recommendations. It is agreeable to the idea
to keep Article 3 5 6 on hold, but it will not tolerate
any attempt to weaken the authority of the Centre, the
sources said.
Since any change in favour of giving more autonomy to
states need amendments to the Constitution, party sources
said that UF cannot unilaterally implement them. "It
will remain a pious sentiment," a leader said. Gadgil,
refusing to elaborate, said, "We have reservations.
But it will be discussed at the CWC and we will come out
with our response."
The Congress is equally unhappy that the UF has tried to
reopen the Ayodhya coiitroversy. The decision to
approach the Supreme Court under Article 138 (2) to solve
the Ayodhya dispute has become contentious with the
Congress expressing its reservations. The Narasimha Rao
Government had opted for approaching the Court under
Article 143. However, the Court then refused to give an
opinion. Though the Congress has not opposed the UF move,
Gadgil said the CWC will discuss the issue.
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