Advani too chargesheeted: RJD MP

Calling BJP's contention that all chargesheeted MPs be debarred from voting during the confidence motion as a bluff, Mr Devender Yadav of the RJD today said the party was out to mislead the public on the issue as it would never agree to its leader L K Advani not being allowed to vote.

Participating in the debate on the confidence motion moved in the Lok Sabha by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said ''Isn't Mr Advani too chargesheeted? So, how can others chargesheeted be disallowed from voting?'' Hearing this, the opposition stood up in chorus defending the senior BJP leader saying Mr Advani was not in the same league as several others who had criminal cases against them.

Charged up RJD MPs even came close to the well of the House to support Mr Yadav's charges even as RJD chief Lalu Prasad joined them in threatening BJP members to ''take their seats''. Also, accusing the BJP of 'double standards' when it came to religion, Mr Yadav said that while on one hand, it talked about Amarnath Yatra being disrupted, on the other hand, its government in Rajasthan was breaking the holy 'Govardhan Parbat' -- sacred to the Hindus -- around which thousands from India and abroad performed 'parikrima' as an annual ritual in practise since ages.

''The government of Rajasthan in collusion with the mining mafia was carrying out mining at 184 places on the holy 'Govardhan Parvat'.'' The mafia had the patronage of the government there, he alleged, adding that how such a party could talk about religion being targeted under the UPA rule.

To this, BJP MPs from Rajasthan protested that only matters related to the nuclear deal be discussed.

Ms Yashodhara Raje of the BJP rose to ask why such an allegation was being lobbed against the person who was not present in the House to defend herself.

''It is not fair to discuss issues or allege something, specially when the concerned person was not present in the House. Moreover, raising such issues at this point was a ploy to digress from the real issue for which the House had been specially convened.'' Commotion followed for several minutes as RJD MPs and those of the BJP traded charges of 'hijacking issues' and 'misleading the nation' in the name of religion.

Earlier, participating in the debate, Mr Yadav said there could be difference of opinion on issues and matters but doubting the intention and integrity of the Prime Minister on the nuclear deal was not fair.

''The nuclear deal is in the interest of the country as energy is crucial for development which would turn India into a developed country.'' Denouncing allegations that India's foreign policy would be compromised with the deal coming through with the US, he said, ''the deal would make us a partner of the US and not an observer in the comity of nations.'' He also questioned the opposition's unity in voting unitedly against the government on the nuclear deal, while claiming that all UPA members were indeed united and stood with Dr Manmohan Singh on the issue.

-- (UNI) -- 21PAR14.xml

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