Sonia resigned under pressure from people: Joshi

Allahabad, Mar 27 (UNI) Senior BJP leader and former union minister Murli Manohar Joshi today said Congress chief Sonia Gandhi resigned her Lok Sabha seat and as chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC) under ''pressure from people.'' ''To describe it as sacrifice by Congressmen is utterly wrong,'' Mr Joshi said while talking to newspersons here.

He claimed there was fear in the Congress that the President might cancel her Lok Sabha membership on the recommendation of Election Commission.

''It is an irony that the beginning of it was made by a member of the Congress party itself, which later became suicidal for the party.'' The leader said the Congress' plea that Parliament was adjourned because there were no issues for discussion was wrong. ''The decision to adjourn Parliament was taken to save Ms Gandhi.'' ''BJP favours the issue is resolved in Parliament after detailed discussions so that people know the facts,'' he said.

Mr Joshi, recalling the recent peace proposal of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for Pakistan, said, ''We are not against peace and good relations with neighbouring countries, but India's interests cannot be compromised with.'' He lamented that Pakistan was still raising the issue of Kashmir on international platforms and giving assistance to terrorists.

The former BJP president suggested that the Centre take every decision after serious deliberations.

The leader also alleged that the Prime Minister wanted to bring second Green Revolution with the help of MNCs. ''To allow foreign investment in agriculture will be suicidal to our farmers.'' Mr Joshi maintained that crores of farmers would be unemployed and India's food security would be endangered. ''BJP will not tolerate this and will launch a massive campaign against it.'' UNI JL VS LR BD2124