Friday, August 5 2005 18:19 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Seeking to portray Parliament's approval of the resolution extending President's Rule in Bihar by six months as approval of his action in the dissolution of the Assembly, Governor Buta Singh today (Aug 5, 2005) demanded a public apology from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for leveling 'false and unfounded' charges against him and also left the issue to the 'good sense of the Judiciary'.

''Since both the houses of Parliament, the supreme electorate body in the country, have approved the resolution for extending the President's Rule in Bihar by another six months with effect from September six, it is an approval of the step taken by me (to dissolve the House),'' Singh told reporters in Patna.

''When both the houses of Parliament put their seal of approval on any issue, the matter cannot be debated on any other forum and there can be no judicial interference,'' Singh said.

When asked whether the Supreme Court notice to him on the dissolution did not amount to judicial interference, he said, ''I leave it to the good sense of the Judiciary."

''In the light of parliamentary approval, the political parties which leveled false and defamatory allegations against me should make a public apology. They have hurt my feelings and questioned my integrity,'' the Governor said in an apparent reference to the NDA's charge that the House was dissolved under pressure from Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad.

''Mujhe Buta Singh nahin, jhoota singh kaha gaya. (They called me a liar). Even the issue of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) bribery case in which I was honorably acquitted was raised. Who is going to compensate me for the damage caused to my reputation,'' he asked.

On the charge of horse-trading on the basis of which the House was dissolved, the Governor claimed that the Union Home Minister had already referred to the document relating to a specific complaint about horse-trading in course of the debate on the dissolution of the House in Parliament.

''It is the property of the House and Parliament and I will not share with you the details,'' he said. Singh also refused to divulge the name of the complainant.

Rejecting the Center's objections on entertaining a challenge to the decision dissolving the Bihar Assembly, the Supreme Court had on June 25 said that former MLAs 'have made out a case' for a hearing of their petition.

Putting searching questions regarding materials placed for subjective satisfaction of the President, who was abroad at that time, before the extreme step under the Article 356 of the Constitution was taken, a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice R C Lahoti, had issued notices to the Center and Bihar Governor while asking them to file replies within three weeks.