New Delhi, February 20
The BJP-led Opposition today demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the Supreme Court’s adverse remarks against the Centre for the manner in which the Bihar Assembly was dissolved last year.
“The Bihar Governor stepped down after the Supreme Court said he had acted wrongly in recommending the dissolution of the Assembly. The Prime Minister should also step down as the Supreme Court has passed adverse remarks against the government,” BJP Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Vijay Kumar Malhotra said.
This prompted the Opposition members to shout “Manmohan Singh istifa do” and Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s repeated bid to restore order was lost in the din for a few minutes.
The Prime Minister
could not escape the collective responsibility of the Cabinet and should tender his resignation for undermining democracy, JD (U) member Prabhunath Singh said. His contention was that one of the Supreme Court judges had held the Centre responsible for the way it turned the office of the Governor into a “laughing stock.”
The Opposition members were critical of the way the government got Presidential assent when the President was on a tour abroad.
The JD(U) leader said Mr Buta Singh had also made certain claims which showed the Cabinet, which took the decision to dissolve the Assembly at midnight, in poor light.
Mr Ramjilal Suman of the Samajwadi Party, which is supporting the government from outside, regretted the way the Governors were being “misused” by the Centre.
As the Prime Minister was not present in the House, some members demanded that he should either come to the House or tender his resignation.
