Mayawati defends use of word 'unconstitutional' in Gov's address

Lucknow, May 23 (UNI) Defending Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar's joint address to both the Houses, in which he had termed the previous regime of Mulayam Singh Yadav as 'unconstitutional', Chief Minister Mayawati today said there was nothing wrong in what he said in his address.

''It is for everyone to see that the Mulayam Singh Yadav government, which was formed on August 28, 2003 was 'unconstitutional' in nature hence, the hue and cry raised by the main opposition Samajwadi Party in the House during the last two days was unjustified,''she told reporters at an impromptu press conference at the Council House here.

The behaviour of the SP members in the legislature was condemnable and their attempt to stall proceedings during discussion on the motion of thanks on the Governor's address was irresponsible and devoid of democratic norms and practices, she said, adding that, ''the BSP would never tolerate such behaviour in the House.'' She said the SP's act was due to frustration after the poll debacle and now people were also witnessing their undemocratic attitude in the assembly.

She said the Supreme Court's decision to disqualify 13 MLAs proved the unconstitutional formation of the previous SP government and the former speaker's act against taking a decision on the disqualification of the rest of the MLAs of the total 40 was an effort to save the government.

''A contempt petition against the Speaker is already pending in the Supreme Court'', she said.

Commenting that the SP and the BJP had a tacit understanding between them, Ms Mayawati said even then UP Vidhan Sabha Speaker of the BJP (Keshari Nath Tripathi) was instrumental in running the 'unconstitutional' government. ''The nexus of the SP and the BJP was even more blatant during the recent assembly poll campaign which resulted in their political exile,'' she remarked.

Refusing to spare the SP, Ms Mayawati said whatever the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party was doing after being thrown out of power stemmed from frustration. ''I will not allow the main opposition party to go awry and negate constitutional and democratic norms,'' she maintained.

UNI