BJP flays ordinance on convicted lawmakers

NEW DELHI: BJP on Wednesday said the government's decision to promulgate an ordinance on convicted MPs is an attempt to make "cheats, frauds, murderers" and the likes as lawmakers.

"BJP is shocked at this Ordinance. We would like to know whose great idea it is- is it Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or Rahul Gandhi or is it UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi," party general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy told PTI.

"Who was eager to promulgate an Ordinance to make frauds, cheats, rapists and murderers as our MPs and MLAs?" he said.

Rudy hailed the Supreme Court verdict on the issue, saying the apex court had in a "historic judgement" said that an MP or an MLA would stand disqualified immediately if convicted by a court for crimes with punishment of two years or more.

The Ordinance, which was cleared by the Cabinet yesterday, seeks to negate this order and BJP has opposed this move.

"We Indians have already lost faith in the political system and very soon the country will trash this democracy for good, thanks to this Congress government," Rudy said.

His observations came a day after Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj termed the Ordinance as unconstitutional and requested the President not to give his assent to it.

"We are opposed to it. We request the President not to sign it. President is not obliged to sign an Ordinance that is unconstitutional," Swaraj had said on Twitter.