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Saturday,
August 30, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Mulayam takes charge in UP Lucknow, August 29 Within 25 minutes of assuming charge, Mr Yadav declared that POTA cases slapped on political leaders, including Raghuraj Pratap Singh and his father, would be withdrawn. He also declared that his government would review the cases of National Security Act (NSA) and Goonda Act imposed on people, including political leaders, by his predecessor. Addressing reporters after taking oath, Mr Yadav lifted the ban imposed on students’ union and restored the enhanced patient slip charges. The fire, which usually he spews against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and other Sangh Parivar members, was missing and it looked as if he was trying to shed his “Maulana Mulayam” image. He skirted questions on Ayodhya, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and BJP. When asked what would happen if the VHP created problems in the name of formation of Ram Temple at Ayodhya, Mr Mulayam retorted: “What do you mean by it.” He declared that there was no tacit support of the BJP in the formation of his new government in the state. “My stand against the BJP is known and I do not have to repeat it here,” he said. Mr Yadav’s predecessor, Ms Mayawati had claimed yesterday that Mr Yadav was forming government with the help of the BJP. “There is a secret understanding,” she had claimed. He evaded questions on the Congress and Ms Sonia Gandhi too. When asked whether the support extended by the Congress to him in the state meant that he had accepted Ms Sonia Gandhi as Leader of the Opposition-led anti-BJP camp, Mr Yadav said it was not the right time to ask such questions. “I hope that the Congress will join my Cabinet,” Mr Yadav, however, said. He declared that his government would not act with vengeance and vendetta. “My government will not order unnecessary probes against Ms Mayawati,” he said. But when asked about the case of misuse of CM’s discretionary funds, Mr Yadav said that the matter was sub-judice and he would not react to this. He also refused to answer questions regarding the Taj Heritage Corridor (THC) case. The Chief Minister announced a string of popular measures, including clearing the dues of cane growers amounting to Rs 1,340 crore. “Directives have been issued to the officials concerned to start clearing the cane dues from September 15 and be over within a month,” he said. Private cane growers have also been asked to clear the dues. Earlier, Mr Yadav took oath of office and secrecy at the sprawling Lakshman Mela Grounds. The Governor, Mr Vishnu Kant Shastri, administered the oath. He was the only leader who was administered the oath today. |
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BJP to gain with Mulayam as CM New Delhi, August 29 The acts of Mr Yadav would not only help the BJP reclaim its lost support base in UP but also provide an impetus to the saffron party to reap benefit in the four states which goes to the polls in November, senior party leaders said here today. “In the past, the BJP has gained the maximum when the SP was at the helm of affairs and it is unlikely that we would not be
benefited this time too,” a senior BJP leader said. He said the party would go ahead with the Ram temple issue in the light of the Archaeological Survey of India report. “This issue would put the SP leader in a catch 22 situation. If he takes action or otherwise, it would benefit the BJP. Further, there would be pressure from Mr Kalyan Singh, who is also named as an accused in the Babri Masjid demolition case, to go slow,” the leader said. The BJP leader said, “If the UP Government sends any signal in favour of the accused in the demolition case, it would be politically suicidal for the SP.” The circumstances in which Mr Yadav has taken over the reins of the state and the delicate situation in which he is placed in the numbers game, it is unlikely that he would be able to survive without engineering defection. “There would be some defection from the BSP and the BJP. Yet, he would not be in a comfortable position to run the government. So, the sword would always hang on his head,” the senior leader said. He said the withdrawal of POTA cases against Raja Bhaiya and his father should be seen in this light. With Mr Yadav assuming office, the political appeal in the state has shifted from caste-based politics. It would purportedly help the BJP reclaim its Hindu vote bank. |
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Cong non-committal
on joining UP Govt New Delhi, August 29 Party chief spokesman Jaipal Reddy said the Congress Working Committee meeting yesterday did not take a decision either in favour or against joining the ministry in UP. “The party took various aspects into view and felt that Congress President Sonia Gandhi should watch the situation and take necessary steps after consulting UP party leaders,’’ he said Interactions would also be held with Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav. To a question, he said no discussions were held at the CWC meeting about any tie-up with the Bahujan Samaj Party for the forthcoming Assembly elections. Mr Reddy said it was a matter of gratification for the Congress to note that a “secular government’’ led by Mr Yadav had taken oath and the Congress had played a critical role in its formation. Asked if the Congress regarded former UP Chief Minister Kalyan Singh, whose party is supporting the Mulayam government, as secular, Mr Reddy said the Congress had reservations over Mr Kalyan Singh’s role in the happenings of December 6, 1992. “He is not in the BJP now. The UP Assembly is terribly hung and we need to form an alternative. In politics, one is guided by the bigger picture. In any situation, there are minor contradictions,’’ he said. Asked if the Congress support to Mr Yadav would be conditional, Mr Reddy said it would be “ideological and political.’’ To questions about the Congress insisting on appropriate steps by the Mulayam government in the Babri masjid demolition case in which senior BJP leaders L. K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti are accused, Mr Reddy said the new UP Chief Minister was much too senior a person to need advice. Mr Reddy refused to comment on Mr Yadav’s decision to withdraw POTA against Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh. |
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Maya, Centre, UP Govt get notices on MLA’s plea New Delhi, August 29 Ahmed was booked under NSA by the Mayawati government on July 15, 2003. The police has registered nine criminal cases against him. A Bench comprising Mr Justice M. B. Shah and Mr Justice Brijesh Kumar also issued the notices to the Allahabad District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police on the writ petition by Ahmed, who alleged that the action was taken against him at the behest of Ms Mayawati for his refusal to support her government. On a second petition by Ahmed, seeking a CBI probe into his complaint filed with the police regarding the alleged assault on him on August 7 last year, the apex court said the matter would be decided by the Allahabad High Court as his petition was already pending before it. However, the Bench directed the high court to dispose of his petition within six months. Ahmed alleged that Ms Mayawati nursed a “political grudge” against him for opposing her party’s alliance with the BJP and as a result nine cases were slapped on him on August 7 last year. These cases were made the basis for invoking NSA against him, he claimed. The NSA was invoked against him after he was granted bail by a special court on July 8 this year in all cases, to prevent his release from jail, he alleged. |
POTA should not be misused, says BJP New Delhi, August 29 Briefing reporters here today, the party’s spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said “we have always maintained that POTA should not be misused for political mileage.” He said the party had always advocated the need for POTA but voiced its concern when Raja Bhaiya and others were arrested by the Mayawati-led government under POTA. The BJP had been against the misuse of POTA for political vendetta and it had given its opinion on the issue several times, he said. The state government had the right to withdraw charges against Raja Bhaiya, he said. Stating that the BJP would play the role of a vigilant and constructive Opposition in Uttar Pradesh, he described as “baseless” the reports that the BJP was instrumental and in fact had given tacit support to the Samajwadi Party to form the Mulayam Singh-led government there. When asked why the BJP, which had criticised the arrest of MDMK general secretary Vaiko under POTA, was not asking the Jayalalithaa government to withdraw charges against him, he said it was up to the state government. He said the party had “no regrets” for the failure of its alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in Uttar Pradesh. “The coalition government in Uttar Pradesh under the leadership of Ms Mayawati worked very well and it not only contained corruption but also improved the law and order situation besides speeding up development projects in the state,” he said. He said it did not mean that all decisions taken by the former Chief Minister Mayawati were to their satisfaction. “We did point out our reservations on several issues from time to time,” he said. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP had asked its workers and cadre to work for strengthening the party’s base so that it could win the next elections on its own, Mr Naqvi said. He agreed that there was scope for horse-trading in Uttar Pradesh but emphasised the need for more stringent laws to check this practice for ensuring political stability. The party, meanwhile, welcomed the decision taken at the Inter-State Council meeting in Srinagar with regard to introducing safeguards against the misuse of Article 356 and setting up a subcommittee of select chief ministers to discuss the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on reforming the National Security System.  |
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