BJP to oppose Gorkha Bill despite Buddhadeb's pleadings

New Delhi, Dec 4 (UNI) Notwithstanding the personal pleadings by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee seeking BJP's cooperation for smooth passage of 33th Gorkha Hill Council Bill passed in Parliament, the BJP today said it would oppose the Constitutional Amendment in view of UPA's attempt to ''demean'' the Parliamentary institutions.

BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said, after a meeting of the BJP MPs, the UPA had made it a policy to sideline and bypass the Standing Committees and the set conventions of Parliament and get the Bills concerning All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Lakshadweep passed in the House. Now they had sought to do it with a Constitutional Amendment.

The BJP had strongly protested earlier attempts and would oppose the Constitutional Amendment for disrespecting the Standing Committees. The Government had chosen to bypass the convention that the Bill should be introduced in the House represented by the Chairperson of the Standing Committees.

Asked about Mr Buddhadeb's meetings with Mr Advani, he said it was a courtesy meeting between the two leaders and Mr Advani had not said anything but the party has already intimated the Government about the party opposing the Constitutional Amendment as a matter of principle.

Sources had claimed that during the meeting, the West Bengal Chief Minister had pleaded for speedy Parliamentary approval for the Constitutional Amendment as any delay may result in revival of demand for a separate Gorkha statehood.

The party has resolved to oppose the Constitutional Amendment which requires the support of half of the members of the House and should have the backing of two third members present and voted in the Houses of Parliament.

UNI