Cong to approach HC for PR
sandesh prabhudesai, panaji | 08 March 2002 11:57 ISTWith the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government sticking to its decision to lift funds from contingency to run the state administration during the period of House dissolution, the opposition Congress has now planned to approach the court.
A petition demanding President's rule in the state and challenging BJP's contention that it is not a caretaker government will be now filed on Monday by the Congress.
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar, after returning from Delhi, claimed that union minister Pramod Mahajan as well as other concerned officials have given him clean chit on his proposal to lift funds from contingency.
"We will pass a resolution in this regard in the cabinet meeting next week, advising the governor to pass an ordinance", said Parrikar. Claiming that contingency is also meant for unforeseen circumstances and not unforeseen expenditure alone, Parrikar said the constitution has provided to lift funds from consolidated funds, without even presenting the budget.
The issue had cropped up since the BJP had gone ahead with dissolution under Art 174 (2) b, which does not provide for passing of the budget through Parliament, unlike Art 356. Experts here still opine that the governor is not authorised to pass any ordinance regarding fund appropriation, especially when the Assembly is dissolved.
"Either they have not read the constitutional provisions properly or pretend otherwise", quips Parrikar. He is confident that the BJP will remain in power till new Assembly is constituted after fresh polls.
Ramesh Chennithala, the Congress observer who also arrived here from Delhi today, has however warned the government officials to face consequences of even sitting in the jail, if they allowed the BJP government to lift money from the contingency fund.
The Congress is also planning public action, beginning from Monday, demanding recall of Governor Mohammed Fazal, who has allowed the BJP to function as a full-fledged government. "It is a caretaker government", claims Luizinho Faleiro, the former state opposition leader.
