Rajya Sabha member Kapil Sibal said on Sunday that 4456 The Congress should be at the center of any coalition taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2016 general elections. Sibal also said that all opposition parties should be sensitive while criticizing each other’s ideologies to form a strong alliance. Prominent opposition leader Sibal called upon all political parties opposing the BJP-led central government to first find a common platform. He said that this common platform could also be his newly formed ‘Insaaf’ platform, which has been created to fight injustice.

Former Union Minister Sibal said in an interview with ‘PTI-Bhasha’ that 2023 The question of leadership of the opposition alliance need not be answered at this stage. He also gave the example of given when the then government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was thrown out of power after the Lok Sabha elections despite not being declared the face of the opposition. He insisted that the Congress should Certainly the basis for any coalition of opposition parties to take on the BJP and should be in the center.

Asked whether Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s statement supporting the Adani group facing charges has dealt a blow to opposition unity, Sibal said, “If you If we narrow it down, there will be differences between political parties. If you have a broad collaborative platform that does not narrow down the issues, then the chances of consensus will be much higher. He said, “If Rahul Gandhi has any perspective regarding crony capitalism in India, I think Sharad Pawar ji will not be against a platform related to crony capitalism, which brings individuals in a wider perspective. That’s why we need this broad platform on the basis of which we can ensure that the opposition is united.

Sibal said that as soon as issues are narrowed down, problems arise and gave the example of parties having different stand on a particular law. Sibal said, “You should allow different parties to have different views. We should allow Rahul Gandhi to have an opinion on a person and Sharad Pawar to have his point of view. This should not be an example of disagreement. Sibal was a Union minister during United Progressive Alliance (UPA) 1 and 2 and quit the Congress in May last year.

Sibal, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha as an independent member with the support of the Samajwadi Party (SP), recently launched ‘Insaaf’, a non-electoral platform aimed at fighting injustice. He said, “Opposition unity will be formed only when we have a broad consensus and there will be a platform that will clarify the broad issues of that consensus. Sibal said that his message to the opposition parties would be that they should consider that huge social, economic and political injustice is being done in the country due to the diktats of this government. , He said, “In fact the whole Constitution is a narrative about how to achieve justice. Therefore, the fight against injustice can be a common platform. Asked if his newly formed platform could provide what the opposition needed, Sibal said “maybe”, but added that a lot of work needed to be done to bring all political parties on that platform. needed.

On being asked whether it would be practical for opposition parties from different backgrounds to come together and Leave parliamentary seats for each other to jointly counter the BJP, Sibal said the parties should stop criticizing each other’s ideologies. I have to be more liberal, more cautious and understand that wherever they are weak, they should let the dominant partner decide.

On the opposition unity that strengthened during the second half of the budget session following Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha, Sibal said that as far as joint opposition in Parliament is concerned, it is opposition unity in itself. is not a reflection of He said, “As far as opposition unity is concerned, this is the first step. We need political parties to be more open to each other and give space to each other for their own ideological base but at the same time unite to fight against a government that does not serve the people of India. bent on silencing and turning this so called democracy into an autocratic country.

Sibal said a common minimum program for the united opposition was a “difficult task” and would be decided only a few months before the general elections. When asked whether The Adani issue and caste census are the main issues for the opposition to move towards, Sibal said he cannot say as he is an independent member of parliament. He said, “I think the issue of caste census is a big issue. This is a big issue in many states, especially in North India, but whether it will be a unifying factor or will be projected as a national issue, I cannot possibly say.

On the Adani issue, Sibal said the issue is not about A, B or C, the issue is whether Such states and large conglomerates are collaborating with each other to control resources, media, centers of power and central agencies. Refuting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s allegation that the opposition is coming together because they are afraid of his government’s anti-corruption drive, he asked if the Center was so concerned about corruption, why did it come to power in five years? Why Lokpal was not appointed till the year?

He asked why the Lokpal is inactive and why nobody in the government has been investigated? Sibal said, “Is this what our dear Prime Minister says that corruption can never be leveled in any BJP-ruled state and central government and each one of them is as white as snow.” He also questioned the Prime Minister as to why the ongoing investigation against those who joined the BJP was stopped. Sibal said, “Why is it that the map of India has been divided into two parts, wherever there are BJP-ruled states, the CBI has no access, while they have full access in opposition-ruled states. He emphasized that the Prime Minister’s narrative is based on a weak premise.

bjpCongress3170410Published Date

Sun, Apr 9, 2023, 9: 30 PM IST