New Delhi: Flaying BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) for its threat to boycott Parliamentary Standing Committees on the Sibu Soren issue, Congress today (July 23, 2004) said it had no reason to do so and this only showed it had "scant respect" for the institution of Parliament.

"There is no justification or any reason for boycotting the Parliamentary Standing Committees. This will be an insult to the institution of Parliament," party spokesman Anand Sharma told in reply to a question.

Attacking the conduct of BJP and its allies in both Houses of Parliament over the Soren issue, Sharma said, "you cannot expect constructive cooperation from a party with a negative mind set."

To a question on why the Prime Minister avoided making a statement on the Soren issue as demanded by the Opposition, he said he would have made it if they (BJP and allies) had allowed Parliament to function smoothly. "The matter is before the Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court and it will come up on Monday. We will accept and respect the verdict," Sharma said.

Asked why the Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee made a statement in Lok Sabha condemning the Opposition behaviour, which should have been done by the Speaker himself, Sharma said as Leader of the House he could not remain a mute witness to what was happening in the House.

He had to react to protect the dignity and prestige of the Speaker who is the custodian of the House, he said.