Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 27: Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and BJP MP Arun Jaitley today launched a counter attack on the UPA Government saying it was the Congress which was not allowing the Parliament to function instead of the Opposition by insisting on debate on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail without voting.
The BJP leader said since execution of Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru has been upheld by the Supreme Court, the law must take its own course.
Mr Jaitley was speaking to reporters briefly after attending a function here on 25th death anniversary of prominent Congress leader Girdhari Lal Dogra. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, BJP leader Najma Heptullah, former Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and Mangat Ram Sharma, former Deputy Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader also attended the function held at Girdhari Lal Dogra Chowk opposite Police Headquarters this morning.
Mr Jaitley happened to be son-in-law of Girdhari Lal Dogra.
Terming the insistence of the UPA Government on a debate on FDI in retail without voting as “unreasonable”, Mr Jaitley said the Government was not interested in allowing Parliament to function.
“The argument of the Government that there must be a debate without a vote…Absolutely has no basis,” he added.
Mr Jaitley said: “there are voting provisions in the regulations for the conduct of both Houses of the Parliament– and therefore those regulations are not futile.
“They were not enacted without a purpose– the whole essence of the democracy is voting– the will of the people –the will of sovereign”.
Mr Jaitley, who flew back to New Delhi after attending the brief function, said that for the Government to contend that the issue must be talked about but never voted upon is “without any basis”.
“Voting and democracy co-exist– they are not alien to each other. By raising such an unreasonable and unacceptable argument, the Government is showing its intentions that it does not want the session of Parliament to continue,” the veteran BJP leader and former Union Law Minister said.
“I think the UPA Government is not interested in allowing the session to continue,” Jaitley asserted.
Replying to a question on hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, “well the law must take its own course– after all sentence has been upheld by Supreme Court.
The BJP and some other political parties had been demanding execution of Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri, after the hanging of 26/11 Mumbai blast accused and Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab. However, majority of political parties and organisations in Kashmir were opposing the execution on the ground that it would vitiate atmosphere in the Valley.
Mr Jaitley, however, refused to get into a war of words with Ram Jethmalani, who has accused him of having a role in the CBI Director appointment controversy.
Replying to a question about Mr Jethmalani, who has been suspended from the party, Jaitley said, “I don’t think he (Jethmalani) deserves the reply any more”.
Asked whether BJP was lenient on Yashwant Sinha and Shatrughan Sinha, who have also demanded the resignation of BJP president Nitin Gadkari, he said, “well we do not discuss all these issues”.
In a strongly worded letter to Mr Gadkari, Mr Jethmalani had alluded to the alleged role played by Mr Jaitley in the CBI Director appointment row.
He has said Mr Gadkari suspended him on the advice of Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley.
Mr Jaitley paid rich tributes to Girdhari Lal Dogra describing him as leader of the masses.
In his address, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah described Girdhari Lal Dogra as a real friend of people and man of high stature.
” Rendering selfless service to people especially those belonging to poor sections of the society was hallmark of late Girdhari Lal Dogra’s political life,” he said.
The Chief Minister said: ” the contribution of Dogra in providing drinking water to the people of kandi belt through tube wells was a path breaking initiative and this system still holds key in meeting drinking water demands in these and other areas of Jammu.
“Close ties between my family and the family of Girdhari Lal Dogra exist since the time of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. These got further strengthened with the passage of time,” Omar said and recalled the association of the late leader with Sheikh Sahib and Dr Farooq Abdullah.
“Holding the office of Finance Minister for about 27 years and getting repeatedly elected in Assembly and Parliament elections denote the popularity of late Girdhari Lal Dogra,” the Chief Minister said adding that the best way of paying tributes to Dogra is to follow his style of providing service without self to the people.
Former Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha and BJP leader Najma Heptullah also recalled her association with late Girdhari Lal Dogra and described her as a selfless leader.
“The role played by Dogra in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir can never be forgotten”, she said.
BJP chief spokesperson and national executive member Dr Jitendera Singh was also present at the function. Under the supervision of Dr Singh, Diabetes Care Foundation organized a diabetes-cum-multi super specialty camp at the venue of function to pay tributes to Girdhari Lal Dogra.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma also paid tributes to Dogra.
Arun Jaitley, Omar Abdullah, Najma Heptullah and other dignitaries released a book on Girdhari Lal Dogra, authored by Gita Shah.
Surprisingly, barring Mangat Ram Sharma, no senior Congress leader turned up at the function till Arun Jaitley, Omar Abdullah and Najma Heptullah were at the dais. PCC (I) president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz too was conspicuous by his absence.
However, after the main function was over and the Chief Minister besides two senior BJP leaders left, the PCC (I) leaders including Prof Soz, Ministers and senior office bearers reached there and held their separate function paying glowing tributes to Girdhari Lal Dogra.
Prof Soz described Dogra as “epitome of simplicity and dedication”, who stood for secular values throughout his life. “Dogra served the people of the State for a long time in various capacities and always worked for poor and down trodden sections of the society”, he said.
Prof Soz said Dogra was famous for his qualities of leadership and was dear to all classes of people. “His contribution to society would be remembered by the generations to come”, he added.
The function was attended by Congress leaders including Dharam Pal Sharma, Madan Lal Sharma, MP, Medical Education Minister RS Chib, Hari Singh, Mula Ram, Ravinder Sharma, Bashir Ahmad Naaz, Kuldip Raj Verma, Ram Dass Dogra, Girdhari Lal Chalotra and Shivdev Singh.
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