Wednesday, February 2 2005 13:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) yesterday (Feb 01, 2005) attacked the Congress-led Government for naming a rehabilitation package for tsunami-hit areas after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and allegedly trying to by-pass the Governments of the States concerned in making benefits of the scheme available to the affected people.

"BJP takes strong exception to the decision of the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government to launch the 'Rajiv Gandhi Rehabilitation Package for Tsunami-affected areas,' both on account of its name and the manner in which it is sought to be implemented," senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu said in a statement in New Delhi.

He alleged that the name of the scheme made it clear that it is a "crude attempt by the Congress party to make political capital out of a colossal tragedy".

"Naming the scheme after Rajiv Gandhi cannot be justified on any ground - moral or political," Naidu said, alleging that the Congress party seemed "less interested in reaching benefit to the tsunami-affected people and more interested in gaining partisan political benefit for itself".

The former BJP president also alleged that the subsidy-cum-loan package for the tsunami-affected people was sought to be routed through nationalised and commercial banks with "no role" for the Governments of the States affected by the tragedy.

"This is an assault on the federal structure of the Indian Constitution. It shows the scant respect that the Congress party has for smooth Centre-State relations," he said.