Belgian title for Sonia creates controversy
After the office-of- profit controversy, a title given to Sonia Gandhi during her visit to Belgium in 2006 has run into controversy with the Election Commission divided over whether it should serve a notice to Ms Gandhi over the issue.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: After the office-of- profit controversy, a title given to Congress president Sonia Gandhi during her visit to Belgium in 2006 has run into controversy with the Election Commission divided over whether it should serve a notice to Ms Gandhi over the issue.
The body held discussions over a complaint seeking her disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP over the Belgian honour on Monday.
The meeting is said to have concluded without reaching a decision due to reported differences among the three-member team. There were indications that one of the members deemed nothing wrong in issuing a notice to the Congress chief in order to seek her comments on the matter, while another member was opposed to the move. The body might now meet on Tuesday to consider the matter again. The EC gives its opinion to the President on such complaints which is binding.
The matter is set to rock the political scene in the coming days with the Budget session of Parliament set to begin on February 25. The office-of-profit controversy, in which there were objections to Ms Gandhi holding the post of National Advisory Committee (NAC) chairperson, had led to her resigning her Lok Sabha seat. She had then contested and won her seat again.
Ms Gandhi was conferred the ���Order of Leopold���, the second highest civilian award in Belgium, and an honorary doctorate by the Belgian government during her visit to the European country in November, 2006. The petitioner, an advocate from Kerala, contended that receiving of the Belgian honour amounted to owing allegiance to the constitution of that country.
The Congress, however, dismissed as laughable the complaint, with party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi saying there was no basis for the petition. ���It is a laughable complaint. It has no basis,��� Mr Singhvi said.
The party spokesperson added that the complaint against Ms Gandhi was akin to asking the South African government to exile or disqualify its leader Nelson Mandela for being awarded the Bharat Ratna.
���The Election Commission will use its discretion and reach an appropriate decision in the matter,��� Mr Singhvi said. The complaint against Ms Gandhi, which was sent to the President, was forwarded to the Commission seven months ago.
The body held discussions over a complaint seeking her disqualification as a Lok Sabha MP over the Belgian honour on Monday.
The meeting is said to have concluded without reaching a decision due to reported differences among the three-member team. There were indications that one of the members deemed nothing wrong in issuing a notice to the Congress chief in order to seek her comments on the matter, while another member was opposed to the move. The body might now meet on Tuesday to consider the matter again. The EC gives its opinion to the President on such complaints which is binding.
The matter is set to rock the political scene in the coming days with the Budget session of Parliament set to begin on February 25. The office-of-profit controversy, in which there were objections to Ms Gandhi holding the post of National Advisory Committee (NAC) chairperson, had led to her resigning her Lok Sabha seat. She had then contested and won her seat again.
Ms Gandhi was conferred the ���Order of Leopold���, the second highest civilian award in Belgium, and an honorary doctorate by the Belgian government during her visit to the European country in November, 2006. The petitioner, an advocate from Kerala, contended that receiving of the Belgian honour amounted to owing allegiance to the constitution of that country.
The Congress, however, dismissed as laughable the complaint, with party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi saying there was no basis for the petition. ���It is a laughable complaint. It has no basis,��� Mr Singhvi said.
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The party spokesperson added that the complaint against Ms Gandhi was akin to asking the South African government to exile or disqualify its leader Nelson Mandela for being awarded the Bharat Ratna.
���The Election Commission will use its discretion and reach an appropriate decision in the matter,��� Mr Singhvi said. The complaint against Ms Gandhi, which was sent to the President, was forwarded to the Commission seven months ago.
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