George evades riots issue

NDA convenor and former defence minister George Fernandes sought to downplay the growing chorus among NDA allies that it was the Gujarat rio...

NDA convenor and former defence minister George Fernandes sought to downplay the growing chorus among NDA allies that it was the Gujarat riots of 2002 which led to the defeat of the coalition in the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing a press conference here today, Fernandes said, 8216;8216;There are people, including the media, which would like to keep this tension going even though former prime minister Vajpayee has already apologised for the riots in Parliament8217;8217;.

Fernandes8217;s statement came two days after his own party, the JDU, had also picked the Gujarat riots as one of the reasons for its rout in Bihar, where it lost a sizeable chunk of its Muslim vote-bank. On his party8217;s remarks, he was evasive: 8216;8216;Whatever needed to be said on Gujarat by the party has already been stated,8217;8217; he said.

According to PTI, Fernandes said the Gujarat riots may figure in the NDA meeting on June 1 with the likelihood of a 8216;8216;thorough debate8217;8217; on the issue. 8216;8216;If party leaders feel that this issue Gujarat riots should be taken up at the NDA meet on June 1, then we will definitely do so,8217;8217; he said.

The NDA convenor also questioned the propriety of the Congress-led UPA Government to 8216;8216;appoint8217;8217; rather than seek an 8216;8216;all-party consensus8217;8217; on the election of the new Lok Sabha Speaker. In fact, Fernandes indicated the NDA may field a candidate for the post to take on CPIM veteran Somnath Chatterjee, the choice of the ruling coalition.

8216;8216;Appointing anybody as Lok Sabha Speaker without consulting the Opposition has never happened until now,8217;8217; said Fernandes. 8216;8216;We were not consulted and some of our constituents are favouring P.A. Sangma for the post. Therefore, an election is likely,8217;8217; he said. Last week, BJP president M. Venkaiah Naidu had also hinted the NDA may challenge Chatterjee for the Speaker8217;s post.

Fernandes also demanded immediate probe into the coffin scam. 8216;8216;I would like to be the first to demand an immediate and speedy inquiry into the specific matter of the purchase of reuseable caskets by the Army Headquarters,8217;8217; he said, in response to new Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee8217;s hints of reviving the probe. 8216;8216;The investigation should not take too much time, say two weeks, since the material is easily available with the Army,8217;8217; he added.