Tribune News ServiceNew Delhi, January 1
The Bharatiya Janata Party today began the New Year on an offensive note, hinting that it would corner the UPA government over rescue and relief work done in tsunami-hit areas.
The BJP-run state governments would adopt villages in the devastated areas, “especially where less relief is reaching”, party Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha V.K. Malhotra told mediapersons.
Shedding its earlier pretence of not criticising the government at the time of tragegy, Prof Malhotra said: “Many questions will arise, but this is not the proper time for discussing such issues.”
“At the moment all should concentrate on rehabilitation work,” he said in reply to a question.
He was speaking as 10 trucks with relief material from Delhi were flagged off for tsunami-hit areas.
Prof Malhotra flagged off the convoy jointly with BJP’s Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Delhi BJP President Harsh Vardhan and Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Jagdish Mukhi.
Apparently referring to Home Minister Shivraj Patil and Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal, Prof Malhotra said: “Union Ministers are speaking in different voices” over the issues related to the tragedy and subsequent events.
“The government will also have to answer the delay in flashing a warning on tsunami waves in coastal areas last Sunday, even though the tidal waves hit India two hours after the giant quake off the Indonesia coast,” the BJP leader said.
He criticised the UPA government for not convening an all-party meeting immediately after the disaster which killed over 10,000 people in India.
