Sonia quits Lok Sabha, NAC

        New Delhi: Congress party president and UPA Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi on Thursday resigned from the membership of the Lok Sabha as well as from the post of Chairperson of the National Advisory Council in what appeared to be a stinging response to the opposition diatribe on the office of profit controversy. She also announced that she would be re-contesting elections from Rae Bareilli. "I will contest and surely contest from Rae Bareilli and hope that the people of Rae Bareilli and party workers will understand my emotions," she said.

    In her brief speech at her 10 Janpath residence, Gandhi said that for the last two days that an environment had been created to generate a feeling that the government and the Parliament was being used for her benefit. "This has hurt me most. I have not entered politics and public life for furthering my own personal cause. I have promised to work for my country, my society and for secular values," she said. Gandhi's move came even as the Opposition led by the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP) petitioned President APJ Abdul Kalam for the second consecutive day to disqualify Sonia Gandhi and several other leading politicians from the membership of Parliament for simultaneously holding offices of profit. On Wednesday, Parliament witnessed an uproar over the issue, with the both BJP and SP members taking the treasury benches to task for the proposed ordinance, they said was being introduced to protect Sonia Gandhi. Article 102 and 103 of Indian Constitution provides for disqualification of Members of Parliament on various grounds including holding office of profit. The demand comes in the wake of plans by the government to change the law on office of profit, which a Parliament member is not allowed to hold. President Kalam had last week disqualified Jaya Bachchan, film actress-turned lawmaker from the SP, on the ground that she was holding an office of profit as Chairperson of the UP Film Development Council. Following the uproar by Opposition parties over the issue of ordinance, Parliament was adjourned sine die. It was scheduled to go for recess from March 23 to meet again in May. But the sine die adjournment brought immediate resentment in the opposition circles. Newspaper reports say, besides Sonia, President Kalam has received complaints against 44 lawmakers on grounds that they hold an office of profit in violation of the existing statute.

Samajwadi Party says Amar Singh not to resign

     Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party (SP) today said that Amar Singh, facing disqualification petition for holding 'office of profit' will not resign as a Rajya Sabha member. Amar Singh is also a member of the Uttar Pradesh Development Council. The Party criticised the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's decision of bringing in an ordinance on the 'office of profit' issue, adding that the later did this to "save" Congress president Sonia Gandhi from "disqualification" as Member of Parliament (MP). After the party's parliamentary board meeting, its chairman Ram Gopal Yadav briefed the reporters that Amar Singh would not resign from Rajya Sabha membership. The board also expressed its "concern over the Government's move to save Congress president and chairman of National Advisory Council Sonia Gandhi from imminent disqualification as MP by abruptly adjourning both the Houses of Parliament sine die to rush through an ordinance", Yadav said. Yadav said that the SP would oppose the bill replacing the ordinance in Parliament since its very genesis was undemocratic. Criticising the Congress for its move, Yadav said that the Congress should have consulted its allies and the Opposition and introduced a bill instead of an ordinance. Singh, last week offered to resign after a disqualification petition was filed. He at the same time expressed hope that leaders in other parties on similarly grounds must resign as MP. This statement was a covert reference to Sonia Gandhi. Yadav also said that the introduction of ordinance was "utter disregard to the established parliamentary practices and traditions and the Government again proved that it has scant regard for democratic norms."

     Spewing venom at the UPA government, Yadav said that it would not hesitate imposing emergency if it suspected that its existence was in danger. Replying to a question, Yadav said the SP had decided to oppose all "undemocratic" acts of the UPA government, but eluded to reply when asked if his party would withdraw support from it. He, however, maintained his stand of not supporting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as its main constituent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) "could go to any extent by playing the communal card to capture power."

Sonia's resignation accepted
by Sudhakar

      New Delhi: Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Priyaranjan Dasmunsi today confirmed that Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has accepted UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi's resignation as the member of the Lok Sabha from Rae Bareilli. Coming out of Chatterjee's residence this evening, Dasmunsi told reporters: "Resignation of Sonia Gandhi has been accepted and it has been asked to be published in the gazette". Dasmunsi though did not confirm about holding an all-party meet on the issue of the office of profit immediately; he at the same time said that holding of one such can be possible in near future. "But whenever issue like this which has led to today's development is there, there should certainly be an all -party meet to discuss as it should not turn into a continual phenomenon," he added. Dasmunsi who termed his visit to Speaker residence as a routine affair also said that Lok Sabha which has been adjourned sine die could be called again by the speaker, if it is not prorogued and that they will stick with their earlier schedules of another session. The next part of the Budget session was earlier slated to continue from May 10 to 23 after going into recess on Thursday. Dasmunsi who had a meeting with the Lok Sabha Speaker for more han an hour on a day, when the Congress Party President, in a dramatic turn of events, announced her resignation from both the Lok Sabha membership and the Chairman of the National Advisory Council owing to speculations and allegations that she is holding more than one offices of profit and that the UPA government is trying to save her by bringing an ordinance. Earlier in the day, Sonia Gandhi visited Chatterjee's residence and handed him her resignation letter. Speculations in the media suggest that Chatterjee is also holding two offices of profit as being the Lok Sabha Speaker, he is also the Chairman of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation.

PM meets Kalam

      New Delhi: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, after Defence Investiture Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. Dr. Singh is believed to have apprised Dr. Kalam of the current developments.

Sonia's resignation a face-saving measure: BJP

     New Delhi: The main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party today described Sonia Gandhi's resignation as the National Advisory Council Chairperson and Member of Parliament as a face saving measure. Addressing a press conference just after Sonia's resignation, BJP spokesperson Arun Jaitley said that the Government was consistently denying the fact that the ordinance was being brought to save Sonia, but "now this is clear why the Government yesterday had adjourned the budget session of Parliament sine die". "It was done solely and exclusively for the purpose of promulgating an ordinance to save Sonia Gandhi from certain disqualification on grounds of holding an "office of profit"," he said. "Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and her government has been caught red-handed trying to subvert the Constitution and the Parliament" Jaitley alleged. The whole episode has disclosed the "incompetence and worthlessness" of the Government, he said. Earlier on Wednesday, a 61-member delegation of National Democratic Alliance had petitioned President A PJ Abdul Kalam over the matter. The delegation led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had requested Kalam not to give his consent to any ordinance related to the issue.

Rahul goes pensive as Sonia quits
by Pankaj Yadav

      New Delhi: As Congress president Sonia Gandhi announced her decision to resign from the Lok Sabha and as the chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC), her son and Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi stood at a distance in a pensive mood, opting to stay away from media glare. As Sonia arrived before the waiting TV camera crews, Rahul followed her, but chose to stay at the entrance of the room from which his mother had emerged holding her resignation letter. Before Sonia could start making her announcement, Rahul while giving a thoughtful look, was seen declining an offer from one of the AICC office-bearers to stand by the side of his mother. Subsequently, after Sonia had completed her resignation letter and was about to leave the scene, her daughter Priyanka Vadra was also seen alighting at the scene. But realising that Sonia had completed her announcement she stepped back into the room. According to sources close to Sonia, she took the decision of quitting both the Lok Sabha and the NAC after consulting her children. Two years ago also, when she had declined the offer pf becoming the country's Prime Minister, Sonia had consulted both her children before finally announcing her decision.

Lalu praises Sonia decision to resign
by Sandeep Datta

     Jaipur: Union Railway Minister Lalu Yadav said on Thursday that Congress president Sonia Gandhi's decision to resign from Parliament was a laudable move. Talking to the media, Lalu who was here to launch the country's first double-stack container train from the Kanakpur Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Jaipur, said: "By resigning her seat, Soniaji has maintained the dignity of Parliament. Her decision to re-contest from Rae Bareli is a positive step. She will return to Parliament with more votes than she had before." Yadav's statement came shortly after Gandhi announced her resignation from Parliament and the chairpersonship of the National Advisory Council (NAC) in an attempt to prick the opposition balloon on the controversial office of profits issue. Gandhi said that she had not become a Member of Parliament for personal gain, and her decision to resign was to emphasize this point. The BJP and other opposition parties said that Gandhi's decision to resign was nothing but a face saving measure. The train will operate on Jaipur-Pipavav route. This is the first double-stack train in the sub-continent. It is necessitated to enhance the loading of freight traffic, railway ministry sources said. This move is expected to scale down the rush outside the inland container depots for booking their containers, as the train would carry double the quantity of freight it currently ferries. Lalu, while presenting the Railway Budget mentioned about launching trains to facilitate additional carriage of freight on certain routes and at lower rates. The double-stack container train, apart from other advantages, would be able to carry a payload of 2,500 tonnes against 1,500 tonnes in a single-track train.

Ordinance on office of profit was planned

     New Delhi: The Union Cabinet met on Thursday morning amidst speculation that the ruling United Progressive Alliance will introduce an ordinance to take away some posts from the list containing names of institutions that fall in the category of an office of profit. Following this, the CPI opposed any ordinance to re-define `offices of profit` while the CPI (M) saying that only Parliament was empowered to legislate on the matter. The Left parties on their part say that the government was planning to bring an ordinance, which the Opposition allege was aimed at saving Sonia Gandhi from 'disqualification as MP. "We are not for the ordinance route. Parliament is empowered to decide and only it should decide, "CPI leader D Raja told reporters. The CPI(M) politburo issued a statement saying, "Under the Constitution, Parliament is empowered to decide on the definition of `office of profit` and to exempt any office from disqualifying its holder under the `office of profit` clause". "Parliament has to urgently and immediately take up the issue. It is up to the government to see how they do it. Parliament will have to enact the law.

     Eventually, even it (ordinance) will have to come to Parliament," CPI (M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters. He said there was an urgent need to redefine the `office of profit` Act as members of all major political parties would be affected by it. "The list cuts across all the parties, at least all the major political parties," he said. "The Government can consult political parties before taking a decision. We are prepared for consultations," he added. Describing as unfortunate the disqualification of Jaya Bachchan, the party`s apex body said "it is imperative that Parliament immediately take up this issue and adopt necessary legislation so that disqualification under the `office of profit` of Article 102 of the Constitution is not applied sweepingly and indiscriminately." Yechury said the present law was "incomplete" and needed to be modified. On Wednesday, Parliament witnessed an uproar over the issue, with the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP) taking the treasury benches to task for the proposed ordinance that they said was being introduced to protect Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of UPA, who also heads the National Advisory Council. Both parties petitioned the President to disqualify Sonia Gandhi and several other leading politicians from the membership of Parliament for simultaneously holding offices of profit. Article 102 and 103 of the Indian Constitution provides for disqualification of Members of Parliament on various grounds including holding office of profit. The demand comes in the wake of plans by the government to change the law on office of profit, which a Parliament member is not allowed to hold. President A.P.J. Adbul Kalam had last week disqualified Jaya Bachchan, film actress-turned lawmaker from the SP, on the ground that she was holding an office of profit as Chairperson of the UP Film Development Council. Following the uproar by opposition parties over the issue of ordinance, Parliament was adjourned sine die. It was scheduled to go for recess from March 23 to meet again in May. But the sine die adjournment brought immediate resentment in the opposition circles. Newspaper reports say, besides Gandhi, President APJ Abdul Kalam has received complaints against 44 lawmakers on grounds that they hold an office of profit in violation of the existing statute.

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