Left decry BJP's 'smear campaign' against Patil

New Delhi, July 3 (UNI) Rubbishing as ''character assassination'' the BJP's campaign against Pratibha Patil, the UPA Presidential nominee, the Left parties today asserted that it demonstrated the saffron party's political bankruptcy and its anti-women bias.

The CPI, CPI(M) and Forward Bloc recalled that a ''similar'' treatment was meted out to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi after she was elected the Leader of Congress Parliamentary party.

The Left parties also welcomed the Supreme Court order dismissing a PIL seeking direction to the Election Commission to cancel Ms patil's candidature.

CPI senior leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the BJP's campaign manifested its ''old habit'' of indulging in character assassination and degrading highest democratic institutions -- be it the office of the Prime Minister, Parliament and now the highest constitutional post of the President.

''They are particularly anti-women. When Sonia Gandhi was elected the Congess Parliamentary Party leader in 2004, the BJP mounted a similar smear campaign against her,'' Mr Dasgupta said.

CPI(M) senior leader and Party Deputy floor leader in the Lok Sabha Mohammad Salim said it was all the more surprising that a senior leader like L K Advani was ''leading'' the campaign. ''We strongly disapprove of the same.'' Reacting to Mr Advani urging the Election Commission to direct the candidates for Presidential polls, through fresh guidelines, to disclose their assets and criminal record, if any, the Left leaders wondered why the NDA failed to amend the The Representation of the People Act for the purpose, when it was in power.

Pointing out that had the BJP was sincere about its assertion, it would have included the offices of the President and the Vice-President under the purview of the Act, they said.

The sole aim of the BJP was scoring political points, they added.

''Their (BJP) only aim was to malign and run down Ms Patil by hook or crook. They are using reprehensible methods,'' Mr Dasgupta said.

Mr Salilm urged the apex court to allow only those PILs which are meant in the larger public interest and not those ''which smack of political vendetta''.

Forward Bloc General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Debvrat Biswas said the BJP had not only degraded and undermined the august office of the President, but also brought disrepute to the country the world over.

''We strongly disapprove of the manner in which the BJP has stooped so low, damaging the great democratic institutions that make our country the largest democracy in the world,'' Mr Biswas said.

The Left leaders also refuted reports in a section of the media that the Congress had been left alone to defend Ms Patil.

While Mr Salim observed that Ms Patil was essentially a UPA candidate, supported by the Left, the BSP and other parties, Mr Biswas said the Left parties would undoubtedly vote for her as per the initial announcement.

But Mr Dasgupta was more assertive. ''You might have seen how the CPI has supported Ms Patil even when she is under attack from the fascist forces.'' CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat had charged Mr Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is in the fray as an Independent backed by the NDA, with abetting the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992, when the latter was Chief Minister of Rajasthan.

The Bhairon Singh Shekhawat government had been dismissed, a decision upheld by the Supreme Court.

CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan reminded Mr Advani that the senior BJP leader was himself facing charges like Hawala and involvement in the Babri Masjid demolition, when he was Deputy Prime Minister in the then NDA regime and was considered to be the frontrunner for prime ministership.

The veteran leftist said Ms Patil is a ''matured and honest politician'' having experience of handling several constitutional as well as political posts.

UNI