Party fields Modi against anti-riot draft Bill

For long,the BJP has accused the UPA government of destabilising and weakening India's federal structure.

For long,the BJP has accused the UPA government of destabilising and weakening India’s federal structure. Now,the party has decided to use this plank to build bridges with regional parties especially those who profess staunch anti-Congressism for it believes engaging state satraps at some level was imperative to fulfil its goal of expanding the NDA ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections.

The Centre-versus-states argument could be the ideal issue to tap regional parties which often complain of step-motherly treatment by the Congress-led Centre. A resolution moved by Narendra Modi adopted at the BJP’s national executive made clear the party’s intention. It resolved to “engage with all political parties” to highlight the issue of Centre “usurping” the powers of states and “draw on mutual support”.

“We shall stand up in solidarity with any non-congress state attacked or discriminated against,” it said while demanding immediate implementation of the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendations on Centre-state relations. The BJP’s hopes to expand the NDA got a boost after the Left’s debacle in the Assembly polls as it feels the Communists would no longer be able to rally regional parties antagonistic to the Congress.

Sources said the party is toying with the idea of writing to all non-Congress chief ministers to highlight the federal overreach. Besides,it would set up a “forum” to fight Centre’s attack on states and discrimination and the party could invite non-Congress chief ministers to be a part of it. It also demanded that the appointments of the chiefs of the CBI,CAG and the CVC should be freed from the clutches of the government.

The resolution was scathing on the UPA government. It pointed out a host of instances — the centrepiece being NAC’s draft of the Communal Violence Bill — to back its argument that the Centre was trying to “usurp the law making powers of the states” and stepping on matters which are exclusively in the domain of state governments.

Expectedly,it talked about the plight of BJP-ruled states. The delay in clearance of the Gujarat Organised Crime Control legislation,formation of the National Investigation Agency contrary to the federal spirit,misuse of CBI,conduct of governors and exploiting of powers of statutory and constitutional bodies among those,but consciously used the phrase “non-Congress ruled states” while attacking UPA for trying to destabilise the federal structure.

“Non-Congress ruled states are making their voice of disapproval heard from all over the country,” it said. “Cooperative federalism or a federal dharma was to be honoured. The Congress-led UPA government has breached this dharma more than any other government in free India. It has breached it through insidious and colourable attacks on the states and their domain,” it said.

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It also added a fresh dimension which can appeal to other parties. The BJP said the Centre was poaching on the finances of states and noted that initiatives like Right to Education and the National Food Security Act,mean more expenditure commitments of the states without Central support.

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