ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Congress 'ready to shoulder its constitutional responsibilities': Sonia

George Varghese in New Delhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi said today that her party is 'ready to shoulder its constitutional responsibilities' as the mood of the people is one of 'deep disillusionment' with the 11-month-old Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government at the Centre.

Addressing the general body of Congress Parliamentary Party in the Central Hall of Parliament, Sonia wanted her party members to pose the question whether a central government, which ''exculpates suspects even before an investigation has begun, retain the moral right to continue enjoying the confidence of the House?''

Listing out the failures of the government on all fronts, Sonia said the mood of the people, as she could see during her tours, was one of deep disillusionment.

The people ''expect us to rise to our constitutional responsibilities if the ruling coalition falters or if the cracks and its contrived edifice render it unable to fulfil its own responsibility, and threaten to lead it to a breakdown,'' she said.

Referring to yesterday's decision of the Congress Working Committee to oppose any endorsement of the imposition of President's rule in Bihar, Sonia said, ''The Congress cannot be a party to the abuse of the Constitution for narrow partisan, political purposes at the behest of the RSS.''

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report