BJP asks Prez to reconvene lokpal session

A delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders on Thursday sought President Pratibha Patil’s intervention to re-convene the House to enable voting in Rajya Sabha on the crucial bill.

Taking their protest against lokpal debacle in Rajya Sabha to her doorstep, senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari and Arun Jaitley on Thursday sought President Pratibha Patil’s intervention to re-convene the House to enable voting in Rajya Sabha on the crucial bill.

They also accused the UPA government of “subversion” of parliamentary democracy.

“We have suggested to the President that as part of Parliament, she should take the initiative and give a concrete suggestion to re-convene a parliament session and hold voting that was postponed earlier for the creation of a strong Lokpal Bill,” Jaitley said.

He said the President told the BJP delegation that she would examine various aspects on the matter.

Jaitley further said many of the amendments the opposition parties moved were common, in an oblique rebuttal of the government’s claim that 187 amendments were too many to be looked into immediately.

“The government kept trying for the support of parties, and when it was clear that the government did not have a majority, it contrived disturbances to avoid voting on the bill,” he said.