Indo-Pak: NDA MPs seek Presidents intervention

Shedding their reluctance to approach her after running a bitter election campaign against her,NDA leaders petitioned President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday. Their request: intervene and give correct advice to the UPA government on the India-Pakistan joint statement,imposition of NPT through the backdoor and the countrys position on climate change. The move comes a day ahead of a Lok Sabha debate on the India-Pakistan joint statement.

Making a dramatic entry,145 NDA MPs marched to the Rashtrapati Bhavan from the far end of the South Block. Leading the contingent were NDA floor leaders,including L K Advani,NDA working convenor and JDU leader Sharad Yadav,Anant Geete Shiv Sena and Ajit Singh RLD. A notable absentee was INLD leader Ajay Chautala. The BJP is yet to end speculation over its alliance with INLD for the coming Assembly polls in Haryana.

Speaking to the media after submitting a memorandum to Patil,Advani said,Our demand to the President was that she should intervene and give correct advice to the Government. The NDA said the government had gone against the national consensus by agreeing to delink terror from the composite dialogue with Islamabad. The memorandum also termed the mention of Balochistan a monumental blunder and called the end-user pact with the US a serious violation of Indias sovereignty.