Centre’s ‘one nation, one election’ move against federalism: Opposition
The Union government has set up a panel to explore the feasibility of holding elections simultaneously to both Lok Sabha and state assemblies, a practice until 1967.
Slamming the Centre’s move to set up a committee to study feasibility of “one nation, one election”, Opposition leaders on Friday (September 1) said the move would pose a threat to the federal structure of the country.
CPI leader D Raja said Prime Minister Narendra Modi always talks about India being mother of democracy and then how can the government take a unilateral decision without discussing it with other political parties.
Priyanka Kakkar of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said this shows the “panic” in the ruling party after they saw the unity of opposition parties under INDIA bloc. “First they reduced LPG prices by Rs 200 and now the panic is so much that they are thinking of amending the Constitution. They have realised that they are not winning the upcoming elections,” Kakkar said.
“Also, can this move take care of inflation or high prices of petrol and diesel. Our Constitution was framed after a lot of discussion and what they want to do poses a threat to federalism,” Kakkar added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut called the move a “conspiracy to postpone polls” in the country.
Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said, “We need fair elections which are not happening now. The ‘one nation, one election’ proposal is a conspiracy to postpone elections.” Raut said the BJP government did not respect Ramnath Kovind when he was the president. “Now they are making him busy with a committee to explore the possibility of ‘one nation, one election’,” he said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also questioned the need for a special session of Parliament, scheduled to be held from September 18 to 22, during the Ganpati festival.
“When regular sessions are on, the prime minister never attends the proceedings,” he claimed.
Raut alleged that the BJP-led Centre’s “moves” were attempts to divert attention from the meeting of the INDIA alliance currently underway in Mumbai.
He said the Opposition bloc’s meeting is aimed at including all allies and working towards consensus on all issues. “A chief coordination committee, research committee, campaign and agenda committee and manifesto committee are likely to shape up,” he said.
The remarks came after former President Ram Nath Kovind was tasked with the responsibility of heading a committee to explore feasibility of “one nation, one election”.
The former President of India will explore the feasibility and the mechanism to see as to how the country can go back to having simultaneous Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, as was the case till 1967.
(With agency inputs)
