SP announces 'Halla Bol' for fight against Cong

Lucknow, Feb 21: The Ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh today announced it would launch 'Hallo Bol' against the Centre and exhorted its leaders for a decisive fight against Congress and other parties conspiring to dislodge the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

The party activists, joined by veteran leaders like Janeshwar Mishra, raised slogans of 'Delhi Raj pe Hallo Bol' and 'Sonia-Rahul pe Hallo Bol' in the party conclave here.

The SP resolved to fight the Congress's conspiracy to enforce Article 356 of the Constitution in UP with Mr Yadav urging people to come out of their houses on the dawn of the President's rule, while efforts should be made that no shops open and lawyers boycott courts on the first day of the central rule.

The leaders said they would not allow the Governor, who would be instrumental behind the President's rule, to come out of Raj Bhawan.

Meanwhile, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) general secretary and Lok Sabha member Sarbananda Sonowal was present in the meeting and announced his party's committment to support SP in its 'tirade' against Congress and its conspiracy.

Addressing the gathering, the CM said now Congress had gone on the defensive due to SP's offensive mood. ''Congress says that UP government is illegal, then why it supported the present regime in 2003,'' he questioned.

Mr Yadav disclosed the governor had held discussions with BJP leaders Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani during their stay in Lucknow during the BJP national executive in December, where BJP had 'approved' the President's Rule for UP.

''People have to come forward to make non-violent protest against the Congress' conspiracy to save the future of UP and also democracy,'' he said. ''Now the country is divided in two -- one side supporting us to save the democracy, while other trying to create undemocratic norms.'' The CM said the 'fight' had been forced on SP, although Congress is on it ''death bed''.

Prominent SP leaders including Janeshwar Mishra, Amar Singh, and cine stars-turned-MPs Jaya Bachchan and Jaya Prada were present.

The meeting was called in wake of the possibility of imposition of President's rule in UP after the Supreme Court judgement to disqualify 13 MLAs with retrospective effect from August 27, 2003.

AGP Lok Sabha member Sarbanand Sonowal, supporting SP in the present crisis, claimed Congress is an ''insensitive'' party and ''never did anything to save democracy.'' ''The recent controversy was the result of the childish approach of Congress and it will certainly wipe out the party in northern belt,'' he noted.

SP vice-president and Rajya Sabah member Janeshwar Mishra said workers should be ready to put on their entire strength to wage a tirade against Congress.

''If required, we would have to sacrifice our life and even go to jail to show our resentment against the centre,'' he underlined.

The veteran socialist leader, criticising the Congress, said the prsent conspiracy against the SP government will certainly prove a final nail in Congress' coffin.

Party general secretary and spokesperson Amar Singh claimed that there is ''undec lared emergency'' in the country and raised the issue of cine star Amitabh Bachchan, who is being targetted by the centre for his support to the state government.

''Sending 12 Income Tax notices to Mr Bachchan was intended to target and insult the mega star,'' he commented.

Commenting on the governor's role, he said the Raj Bhawan was acting in contempt of the SC ruling by recommending President's rule in UP, although the court had not said anything about the legality of the government.

''Sonia and Manmohan Singh are espousing a dictatorial attitude and have placed an while elephant in the UP Raj Bhawan,'' Mr Singh commented.

SP chief whip in Lok Sabha Mohan Singh warned governor T V Rajeswar that Congress will discard him afterwards, like they have did to Natwar Singh and Buta Singh.

Later, Mr Singh proposed a resolution criticising the centre, which was approved by the workers.

UNI