Pranab seeks clarification on Arunachal

President Pranab Mukherjee seemed poised to take a call on the Centre’s recommendation to impose President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh, after he sought clarifications from Home Minister Rajnath Singh. 

This, even as the Congress party, whose government headed by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki is imperilled, moved the Supreme Court questioning the recommendation. 

Top sources in the government told The Hindu that Rashtrapati Bhavan had, on Sunday night itself, conveyed to the Union government that certain clarifications were required on certain dates mentioned in the recommendations. On Monday afternoon, Mr. Rajnath Singh met President Mukherjee. Rashtrapati Bhavan did not confirm the part about Sunday’s conversation only saying, “the Home Minister did meet the President this [Monday] afternoon, as did the Congress delegation [protesting the recommendation].” 

The Congress called the recommendation unconstitutional, with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi directly attacking PM Narendra Modi. 

“Modiji you talk about federalism but murder democracy. You talk about cooperation but use every means to coerce. Imposing President’s rule in Arunachal is a blatant bid to topple a duly elected government. The Congress party will fight this attack on our Constitution, on our democracy and on the people’s mandate,” he said on social media site Twitter. 

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal came out in support of the Congress and criticised the Centre’s recommendation. “I strongly condemn the Centre’s move to impose President’s rule in Arunachal Pradesh, while the matter is still pending before the SC’s Constitutional Bench,” said Mr. Kumar. 

The official spokesperson for the BJP, Sudhanshu Trivedi, however, said not recommending President’s rule would have, in fact, imperilled the law and order situation in the State. 

“Politically, this is a subject of internal conflicts of the Congress party, its MLAs crossed over as the Chief Minister and the Speaker were first cousins and that was creating issues among other MLAs of the party,” he said. “Constitutionally too, the State government did not call an Assembly session in the last six months. Even if they do not acknowledge the session, run outside the Assembly premises by so-called rebels in December, the Chief Minister should have called a session by January 21st. In either case it is a fit case for President’s rule,” Mr. Trivedi added. 

This New is Originally Posted on THE HINDU

Congress failed to protect the constitution in Arunachal: Sudhanshu Trivedi

New Delhi: The BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi on Monday accused the Congress of having failed to protect the constitution in Arunachal Pradesh and said the ruling party in the state has lost the constitutional authority to remain in power.

“Politically, this is an internal matter of the Congress and constitutionally, in either of the way in which the decision is pending in the Supreme Court, they have lost the constitutional authority to be in the government in Arunachal Pradesh, ”

“And morally, I would like to ask one question — Why are you (Congress) running away from calling the house and proving majority or going for a floor test?”

“In fact, you are not able to convene your own legislative party meeting itself,” he added

The BJP leader also accused the Congress of misleading the nation over the issue.

“They will reach the Supreme Court. They will reach the President but they will not convene the (assembly) session and not even the legislature party meeting. The Congress should refrain from making political statements as the case is pending before the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court,”

Trivedi said that constitutionally, there was a provision that any government cannot remain in power if it is not able to conduct the next session of the assembly within six months after the conclusion of the previous session.

“The previous session of the Arunachal Pradesh assembly ended on July 21, and a session must be convened before January 21,” he said.

This New is Originally Posted on NewsGram