President's rule in Uttarakhand: Congress refuses to be drawn into Pranab's decision

GUWAHATI: Congress today refused to be drawn into judging President Pranab Mukherjee's decision to approve the NDA government's recommendation to impose Central Rule in Uttarakhand, saying it should be left to "his wisdom".

"What the President should have done or should not have done, I am not going to (pass a) judgment (on) that. Let it be confined within the Constitutional arrangements. I think it is best left to the wisdom of the President," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said at a press conference here.

He was responding to a query on whether Congress was happy with the role of the President in instantly accepting the recommendation of the Centre when he had the option of sending it for a review.

When pointed out that the President was once a Congress leader, Tiwari said, "President was a senior and respected Congress leader till July 2012. Now he is the President of India and the President of India is a non-party in office."

"The President is bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers. The Constitutional position on that is fairly clear," he said.

He, however, accused the Centre of "murdering democracy" by imposing President's rule in the second Congress-ruled state within two months.

"I would like to point out that when the Governor had given time to Chief Minister for a floor test, when every decision of Supreme Court on (SR) Bommai says that a floor test is the only way to test the majority of a government, then why did the Prime Minister and his Cabinet unceremoniously, almost through a coup, topple the government in Uttarakhand?" he asked.