Azad to NDA: Can’t you take Opp role…

The Minister linked Uma Bharati’s surrender to the arrest of JMM leader and former minister Shibu Soren, saying the BJP did not find it ‘‘irregular’’ when its government in Jharkhand sent a police party to arrest a Cabinet minister and paste a warrant outside his house but raised a ruckus when Karnataka sent a police team to arrest Bharati which eventually, ‘‘they did not’’. ‘‘There are 18 non-bailable and 100 bailable warrants against Ms Bharati and one of them relates to the heinous crime of rioting, dacoity and communal violence in which four people were killed. And they (the BJP) are giving the impression that it was all about the Tricolour.”

Azad echoed PM Manmohan Singh’s concerns and called for cooperation between the UPA and the Opposition. ‘‘I have spoken to the Speaker and the Chairman of Rajya Sabha to invite all political parties of UPA and NDA and find a permanent solution (to the ongoing crisis in Parliament),’’ Azad said. ‘‘We cannot run Parliament on a day-to-day, hour-to-hour basis. There has to be some respect on both sides.’’

Azad sought to remind the Opposition that vital issues had been sidelined. ‘‘Parliament is basically a law-making body and also a forum to discuss major issues affecting the lives of millions of people…unfortunately, in the recent past, issues relating to individuals and political parties have come to dominate the proceedings.’’

On the issue of Savarkar, the Minister said: ‘‘It was the Petroleum Minister’s (Mani Shankar Aiyar) personal view and the decision (to remove the plaque) was taken by a board of trustees, the government had no role in it.’’