BJP says Government showing 'executive despotism'
New Delhi, Nov. 22 (ANI)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday lashed out at the Congress and alleged that the UPA Government is showing executive despotism in the name of executive order.
Talking to media after adjournment of both the houses on first day of the Winter Session of Parliament, following uproar against FDI, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha said that it is the government's responsibly to make parliament function, but it seems they don't wish to do that.
Blaming the government for the ruckus in Parliament, he said: "We want discussion under Rule 184. That's what Sushmaji was wanted to say but the people didn't let her speak. We are not responsible for logjam in Parliament."
Asked about the government claim that the decision on FDI was an 'executive order' and it can't be debated, Sinha said: "There is something called executive despotism, which was debated in Britain many decades ago. We will not put that executive despotism. The constitutional concept of executive's accountability to parliament is supposed to be turned around by this government and to say that an executive decision can't be debated in parliament is absolutely wrong, both-constitutionally and precedent wise."
"There are precedents that have been debated. They have been debated under the rules, which led to voting. And if the government is confident of its numbers then why are they shying away from it. This theory and argument is not acceptable," said Sinha.
"The rules have been made to follow that, if you don't want to follow the rules, then revoke them," he added.
The UPA government is of the view that since the FDI decision was taken through an Executive Order, there is no need for voting in Parliament on the matter.
However, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had given a notice under Rule 184 while her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley gave a similar notice under Rule 167 on the first day of Winter Session to corner the Congress-led UPA government on issue of FDI.