Thursday, February 17 2005 09:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Panaji: Terming the dismissal of the Manohar Parrikar Government as a "step back towards emergency rule", Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president L K Advani yesterday (Feb 16, 2005) said that his party would go to the people to win back its Government in Goa.

"With the dismissal of the Parrikar Government, we have seen the first signs that the Congress is going back to the days of emergency rule. They have proved once again that their faith in democracy is skin deep," Advani said at a public rally organised as part of the conclusion of BJP's "Jamir hatao loktantra bachao" campaign at Mapusa.

Lashing out at the Congress for hatching a conspiracy against the Parrikar Government, Advani said, "Whenever there had been a Congress-Left combination at the Centre, it had posed a 'grave danger' to democracy."

"We have gone to the President, we have approached the Supreme Court also. We will raise the issue in the Parliament and we are confident of justice from some quarters. We know that we will get justice in the people's court when we approach them," Advani said indicating that his party was readying itself for elections in the State.

Referring to Article 164 under which the Parrikar Government was dismissed, Advani said, "If Article 164 can be used arbitrarily then does that mean that under Article 75, the President can also dismiss the Prime Minister arbitrarily?" The constitutional crisis in Goa has no precedent, he said.

"If this matter is not resolved, then it would lead to a dangerous precedent. The issue is not only about Goa or about the use of Article 164 but whether the present ruling party in New Delhi is truly committed to democracy" he said.

The rally was also addressed by former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, State BJP unit chief Rajendra Arlekar and north Goa MP Sripad Naik among others.