Rajasthan government committed constitutional impropriety : Congress

New Delhi, Mar 19 (UNI) The Congress today described as the "greatest Constitutional impropriety," the action of the BJP government in Rajasthan in introducing a fresh "Freedom of Religion Bill" in the state assembly when an earlier bill on the same subject was pending consideration of the President of India.

"It is extremely reprehensible. The implication of the government action will be very far reaching, "AICC Spokesman Manish Tewari told mediapersons, while asking the Central leadership of the BJP to tender "unconditional and unqualified apology" to President of India and Rajasthan Governor for the gross "disrespect" which its government had shown to the highest constitutional post.

He accused the Rajasthan government of trying to "communalise" the situation in the state ahead of the assembly elections in November this year as it had no achievement worth the name to be cited to the people.

"This act of the Rajasthan government not only tantamount to defiance of Constitutional authorities but also goes against the grain of law as laid down by a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court of India in the Purushothaman Nambudiri vs State of Kerala." He said the introduction of a fresh bill raised a grave constitutional question and clearly exposed that the BJP had no respect for constitutional institutions and constitutional propriety.

"The BJP which allows no opportunity to pass in tom-toming its commitment to decency and morality in politics does not allow these basic constitutional niceties which form the bedrock of the Indian democratic system to stand in the way of implementing the agenda of the RSS when in office.' Mr Tewari demanded that the BJP leadership should direct its government in Rajasthan to immediately withdraw the bill and uphold constitutional norms which had been thrown to the winds by the "irresponsible and reckless behaviour" of its government.

UNI SH SB BST1835