BJP's plea to EC is a trick to fool people : Congress

New Delhi, July 2 (UNI) The Congress today came down heavily on BJP leader L K Advani for his petition to the Election Commission against UPA-Left candidate Pratibha Patil, and said the main Opposition party was suffering from "select amnesia".

"This is a ploy to fool the people on the day when scrutiny of nominations was completed," AICC spokesman Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons a few hours after a BJP delegation presented a letter of Mr Advani to Election Commission, seeking information about criminal cases, or dues of the Government bodies or financial institutions, if any, pending against any Presidential candidate in the fray.

"They got such a brilliant idea only after Ms Patil became a candidate for the July 19 Presidential poll," he said.

Asked, if there was anything wrong in declaring the assets by a Presidential candidate, he said there was nothing wrong in it but this was not necessary under the present rules.

"If the BJP thinks that such a declaration is necessary by a Presidential candidate, they could have amended the rules when they were in power during 1999-2004." In this context, Dr Singhvi pointed out that the Election Commission was not a legislator. Therefore, there was no meaning in approaching the EC in this regard.

He, however, said that the party would not be against any discussion about a possible future change in the rules. "The party has not so far considered this question." Dr Singhvi asked how a "tainted" leader like Mr Advani, who is facing charges under Section 153 of the IPC, could question the credentials of the UPA candidate.

On the four sets of nomination papers of Ms Patil, having been found valid at the scrutiny today, Dr Singhvi said, though, only 50 proposers and 50 seconders from among the voters had to subscribe each set of nomination paper, Ms Patil's first set was subscribed by 136 electors and the second 142 voters.

"This itself makes it clear that our candidate is supported by the voters in large numbers from across the length and breadth of the country." However, the Opposition was trying to demean and denigrate Ms Patil through uncalled for, frivolous and baseless allegations, despite knowing well that her victory was certain, he said.

"It is for the BJP and the NDA to introspect whether their conduct is that of a responsible Opposition." Referring to the BJP's reported statement asking the electoral college for the Presidential election to vote according to their conscience, Dr Singhvi said "They are now talking about conscience...But their conscience was not touched when the members of the minority community were attacked in Gujarat or when about 100 people lost their lives during Mr Advani's Rath Yatra." He said the appeal for conscience vote was only to encourage cross voting and violate anti-defection law.

Alleging that the BJP had scant respect for democratic institutions, Dr Singhvi said they always believed in creating chaos and confusion.

UNI