Thursday, March 10 2005 17:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Defending the Supreme Court directive on Jharkhand, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (March 10, 2005) urged the Lok Sabha Speaker not to "divide" the House on the issue of its powers even as it favoured enactment of a law defining the guidelines for Government formation.

"The Supreme Court's directions on Godhra, Gujarat and Ayodhya are treated as Bible truths (Vedvakya) but it is turned into a big issue if the verdict is on Jharkhand. The apex court can decide on Lord Ram's birth but it becomes difficult to accept if it decides on a tainted leader like Shibu Soren", BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters in New Delhi.

He was commenting on the uproarious scenes witnessed in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha over the Court directive on the Jharkhand issue.

Condemning the attitude of the ruling alliance, he said, "If the Government does not work according to the Constitution, then the Supreme Court and High Courts should step in."

Recalling that the courts have stepped in earlier also including on the Jagdambika Pal issue in UP, he said, "They have a problem when it does not suit them. It would not be proper on the part of the Speaker to divide the House on the issue of its powers privileges.

He, however, said the party was in favour of a law, which would define guidelines including whether a pre-poll alliance or the largest party should be invited, a time-frame for it, the powers of the Pro-Tem Speaker including his right to vote and whether an MLA can become Minister after resigning from the Assembly.