'Sonia has to resign after President returns Bill'

New Delhi, May 31: BJP President Rajnath Singh today asked Congress President Sonia Gandhi to resign from her Lok Sabha seat on the ''grounds of morals and principles'' after President A P J Abdul Kalam returned the office of profit Bill passed by Parliament without giving his assent.

The President returning the office of profit Bill for reconsideration of Parliament was ''something serious,'' Mr Singh told newspersons here.

He said Mrs Gandhi had quit her Rae Bareli seat on the Office of Profit Bill and the UPA had passed the Bill with retrospective effect to'' save some Congress and Left Party MPs from being disqualified. She has to quit the seat on the grounds of morals and principles,'' he added.

She made every attempts to win the people's confidence although ''she avoided the investigations pending before the people and Parliament''.

Welcoming President Kalam returning the Bill, Mr Singh said a delegation of the NDA will be meeting Chief Election Commissioner B B Tandon to urge him to ''take an early decision'' on the complaints against the Members of Parliament for violation of office of profit law.

''The BJP had opposed passing the Bill with retrospective effect and wanted a clear definition of office of profit.'' He said under the UPA every Constitutional institution ''was under attack'' and one minister not only stated that the Election Commission was 'partial' but also casteist. ''This is the height of arrogance and disrespect to a constitutional body,'' he remarked.

UNI

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