BJP protests ordinance: Why is govt in a hurry?

Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj urged President Pranab Mukherjee not to sign the ordinance.

The BJP on Tuesday sought to know why the government was in a hurry in bringing the ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers from facing disqualification and wondered if it was being done to protect some leaders close to the ruling party.

Why has the government brought this ordinance? Why is it in a hurry to bring this through an Executive Order? There is some other motive behind bringing this ordinance, said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.

This came hours after the Cabinet approved the ordinance which will negate an order of the Supreme Court that disqualified convicted MPs and MLAs immediately even if their appeal is pending.

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Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj urged President Pranab Mukherjee not to sign the ordinance. The Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance on convicted MPs. We are opposed to this. We request the President not to sign this ordinance, Swaraj tweeted. President is not obliged to sign an ordinance that is unconstitutional.

The BJP said the government had shown similar haste on the issues of FDI in multi-brand retail and food security.

The Congress has shown extraordinary interest in bringing this executive order today, Sitharaman said.

BJP leaders said the government took the ordinance route as RJD leader Lalu Prasad,who is an ally of the UPA,will be affected as the verdict in the fodder scam case is expected on September 30.

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