NDA rally gets mixed response

Meet manages to draw crowds; fails to hold them

Though large number of people gathered at the Mahasangram Rally organised by the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the historic Ramlila grounds in the national capital, its leaders failed to touch a chord with the audience.


Turbanators:u00a0Senior BJP leaders (from left) Nitin Gadkari, LK Advani
and Sushma Swaraj, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav and other National
Democratic Alliance leaders at the Bhrastachar Virodhi Mahasangram
Rally in New Delhi on Wednesday. PIC/Imtiyaz Khan

Communication was essentially one way, and the audience generally stayed silent. In fact, without waiting to hear out veteran leader LK Advani, the crowd started stealing away.

"Rather than addressing the basic problems of the common man like the issue of price rise of essential commodities, the impact of scams and the way to recover the looted public money from scamsters, the leaders were too theoretical in their speech," said a BJP councillor, on the condition of anonymity.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
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Under fire
In its first rally of the series of NDA's nationwide campaign against alleged corruption in the government, Opposition leaders sought the resignation of Manmohan Singh on moral grounds, if he did not allow a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to look into the 2G spectrum scam. Terming the outgoing year 2010 as 'the year of stinking scams', LK Advani also appealed to the PM to recognise his constitutional power and constitute a JPC.

"Despite the fact, that he is the PM of the country and has constitutional powers, he has not been able to work as a PM. For every issue, he has to wait for a nod from 10, Janpath," Advani said.

Big ask
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley put forth five questions to the Prime Minister. "First, why industrialists had a say in the decision of appointment of a Telecom Minister? Second, why were the telecom spectrum licences sold to real estate companies or financers instead of the telecom companies?

Third, who will tell us why the appointment of a man with tainted track record as Central Vigilance Commissioner was made even though the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj vehemently opposed it? Fourth, who is responsible for the loss of reputation of the CBI? Fifth, had opposition not opened a front against A Raja, would he have not been removed?"

Target PM
Referring to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's offer to appear before the Public Accounts Committee of parliament, the NDA convener said: "I want to know why Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was ordered to probe a corruption case. It is only to investigate such matters that a JPC is set up."u00a0u00a0

Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said that while the Prime Minister took cover under the pretext of not being directly involved in any of the scams, "his involvement" in the appointment of the Central Vigilance Commissioner "was not passive but active."u00a0u00a0

Who will blink?
Raising doubt over the intention of the Congress party for not accepting the demand of JPC, Swaraj expressed her astonishment over the adamant attitude of the Government. "Four times JPC has been ordered so far twice under the NDA regime.

On one occasion, I ordered setting up of a JPC to inquire into pesticide residues in soft drinks, fruit juice and other beverages and to set safety standards. And defying the rules, I appointed Sharad Pawar Committee Head of the panel however the chairman is of the ruling party," said she. Ratan Singh Ajnala of the Shiromani Akali Dal and Anant Geete of the Shiv Sena also spoke at the meet.