Words may have been wrong, but sentiment wasn't: Rahul Gandhi on ordinance

Ahmedabad: Rahul Gandhi on Thursday spoke for the first time about his scathing public review of the ordinance that was introduced to protect convicted MPs.

"My mother told me that the words that I used were strong. In hindsight, I feel maybe my words were wrong... but the sentiment I felt was not wrong," the young vice-president of the Congress told reporters in Gujarat. His mother, Sonia Gandhi, is president of the Congress party. "I am entitled to voice my opinion," he said, stressing that a large section of his party supported his stand.

The government withdrew the ordinance last evening, which Mr Gandhi derided as "nonsense" that should be "torn up and thrown away" at a press conference last week that was being addressed by senior Congress leader Ajay Maken. "I told him you can't defend the indefensible," Mr Gandhi said.

Apparently referring to the criticism by the opposition and some allies that he had insulted and undermined the authority of the Prime Minister and the cabinet, Mr Gandhi asked, "Why am I being penalised for raising my voice on something that was wrong?"

"I spoke my mind on the issue, it is amazing to see reactions to it. I am flabbergasted," he said.

On Wednesday, Mr Gandhi met Dr Manmohan Singh and reportedly expressed regret for the timing and language of his critique. However, he reiterated his opposition to the controversial executive order that was seen as a naked attempt to circumvent the Supreme Court.

In July, the court barred law-makers from holding office if they are convicted in cases carrying sentences of more than two years.

Two days after her son's blunt remarks, Mrs Gandhi defended the Prime Minister at a rally in Karnataka and attacked the main opposition party, the BJP, for "making fun" of him.

"They make fun of our party, our prime minister. I want to tell them that our whole party stands behind the prime minister," she said.

At cabinet meeting, Sharad Pawar to question ordinance flip-flop, say sources

New Delhi: Some UPA allies are expected to seek an explanation at a cabinet meeting this evening on why the Congress-led government rushed a controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers only to do a u-turn.

The ordinance, which seeks to circumvent a Supreme Court order disqualifying convicted lawmakers by allowing them to stay on while a high court hears their appeal, is expected to be formally abandoned at the meeting of the cabinet, which could refer it to a parliamentary standing committee for review. (Congress to withdraw ordinance derided by Rahul Gandhi)

Sources said Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar is likely to ask at the meeting why the government has changed its stand; the cabinet had approved the ordinance only last week. The NCP, said sources, is not questioning the withdrawal of the ordinance but the Congress' flip-flop, brought on by its vice-president Rahul Gandhi trashing it as "complete nonsense."

The Congress number 2 derided the ordinance as worthy of being "torn up and thrown away" while the PM was in the US. The opposition said this was an insult to the Prime Minister and diminished his position.

Allies like Mr Pawar and more recently Omar Abdullah of the National Conference have suggested that the Congress, which leads the ruling alliance, must ensure better coordination between the partners.

Another ally Ajit Singh, however, said "it's happened in the past, decisions have been changed and reversed, there is nothing wrong there." He said he was happy the ordinance would be withdrawn. "We don't want criminalisation in politics," he said.

But Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, which provides crucial external support to the Congress-led government, did not cloak his disapproval in circumspection. "The manner in which the ordinance was brought and is now being hurriedly withdrawn, shows that decisions are being taken keeping elections in mind. Because of the elections all ruling political parties are in a hurry," said Mr Yadav, who is the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh.

While Mr Yadav would not spell out the SP's stand on the substance of the ordinance, a party leader Naresh Aggarwal warned that withdrawing the ordinance would be 'dangerous for democracy" and said the PM must decide whether his own position was higher than that of his party.

The Congress maintains that it has decided to withdraw the ordinance because of "collective wisdom."

"We got feedback from across the country," said Congress spokesperson Renuka Chowdhury in an attempt to justify the reversal of policy.