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Journalism of Courage
NAGPUR, JULY 31: Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Nitin Gadkari on Sunday alleged that the Democratic Front (DF) government was making desperate efforts to bypass the legislature and move the Governor to issue an ordinance on the Finance Bill.
Lashing out at the Vilasrao Deshmukh-led DF government, Gadkari warned that the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance would not tolerate any move to bypass the legislature, especially not in financial matters, he said at a press conference.
The government’s intentions were clear when the state Assembly sitting was wound up a week before schedule. The government was also trying to do the same with the Legislative Council, but the Sena-BJP combine had prevented it, he said.
Gadkari made it clear that the Opposition was not interested in blocking the Bill but would like to suggest amendments to it. He pointed out that the Bill has already been passed by the Legislative Assembly and the DF government is now constitutionally bound to get it passed in the Legislative Council. But since it does not command a majority in the Upper House, it is making desperate attempts to bypass the House, the Opposition leader alleged.
Gadkari explained the constitutional provisions, saying that if the DF government failed to get the Bill cleared by the Council, the state may witness a grave financial crisis as the government would not be able to spend money from the treasury. To find a way out of the crisis, the government will then have to convene a special sitting of the Legislative Assembly to pass the Bill once again. But in doing so, the ruling coalition will be losing ground to the Sena-BJP combine, which was opposed to the DF Government’s decision to curtail the Assembly session.
The Chief Minister is putting up a brave front saying that the Upper House neither has powers to reject the Bill nor to suggest amendments. If he is so sure of his position, why is he making a desperate bid to move the Governor, Gadkari asked. He said that the Opposition has already appealed to the Governor to reject any such move by the government. He warned that the Opposition combine would move the court, if the DF government resorted to unconstitutional tactics to bypass the legislature and issue an ordinance on financial matters.
Gadkari also blasted the government for its “malafide and vindictive”action against Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. He read out a part of some confidential records which clearly showed that the file awaiting the government’s sanction to prosecute Thackeray was moved from one department to another in a single day on July 15. Moreover, the Deputy Chief Minister, Chagan Bhujbal and the Chief Minister signed it on the same day. The haste with which the government acted in the case leaves no doubts about its intentions, he added.
Gadkari lamented that the government did not revoke the suspension of 13 Sena MLAs even after Opposition leader Narayan Rane expressed regret over the incident. In retaliation to the adamant stand taken by the DF government, the Opposition has decided to bring a no-confidence motion against the Assembly Speaker and the Deputy Chairman of Legislative Council, he said.
