With the stunning defeat in the Lok Sabha elections still fresh in their minds, a much subdued BJP on Friday got down to the task of playing opposition role while participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President?s address to parliament, but it failed to make an impact as the party once again had to depend on the issue of terrorism to make a case against the Manmohan Singh government.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on the motion of thanks, Opposition leader LK Advani demanded setting up an inquiry commission to point out lapses and suggest corrective steps after describing the attacks as an ??invasion of India?? from Pakistan, but it was squarely rejected by Union home minister P Chidambaram who said there was no need for it.
That the opposition was still trying to find its bearings was evident when its leaders, in both houses of parliament, offered support to the government on a number of issues ranging from the women?s reservation and food security bills. Advani himself was reconciliatory towards government in his tone during his one-hour speech, appreciating the emphasis given to security in the President?s address. The Left parties too faced a similar predicament as it came up with only a muted criticism of the government?s policies outlined in the address.
Advani asked the government to share with parliament the evidence given to Pakistan on 26/11, especially in the wake of release of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Mohd Saeed, which he said was on technical grounds because of insufficient proof, which consequently only showed that the evidence had not been meticulously prepared. ??The 26/11 strike was not an ordinary terror attack as have taken place before…. It was like an invasion of India, a kind of a war,?? Advani said.
In the Rajya Sabha, it was the new leader of opposition Arun Jaitley who said that the BJP will be behind the government ??in the first 100 days on all issues that are in national interest??. ??We will support good things, caution the government where there is a pitfall, and if the government goes astray, we will fiercely oppose it,?? he said while acknowledging that the Lok Sabha poll outcome had showed that voters wanted political stability. The only note of caution came when he said that voters will not accept any alibi for non-performance in the next five years as the UPA will not be dependent on allies this time. ??Last time you had blamed the allies and got benefit of doubt. This time no alibi will be accepted,?? he said.
In sharp contrast to the muted opposition response was the sharp enthusiasm in the Congress ranks. Initiating the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, Satyavrat Chaturvedi?s high spirit was clear when he said the overwhelming mandate was reflective of people?s support to Congress policies and programmes. Shades of arrogance was also evident when he taunted the BJP by using the expression ??Modikaran?? (a reference to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi)
In the Lok Sabha too, the Congress took potshots at the BJP saying that its ideology of ??hate speeches?? and ??raking up?? religion were rejected by the people. Congress party MP Girija Vyas, who initiated the discussion, accused the BJP of stealing the issues of development of the Congress. She credited the UPA?s ??excellent performance?? in the elections to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who gave ??able leadership?? to the country, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi?s guidance to the party and Rahul Gandhi, who gave ??new direction?? to the youth.