NEW DELHI: A normally staid Friday afternoon normally reserved for private members’ business in the Lok Sabha suddenly came into life Friday with the Congress and the BJP entering into a slanging match over a BJP member’s bill primarily aimed at preventing any outside person by implication Sonia Gandhi from becoming Prime Minister in future
Vishwanath Sharma (BJP) caused uproar Friday by initiating a bill to amend the Constitution to ensure that only a citizen of India by birth can aspire for the high office. Sharma proposed to bar those not born as Indian citizens from becoming President Prime Minister or Attorney-General of the country. Giving examples to drive home his point he said that in the United States the President has to be USS citizen by birth Likewise the Queen of England.
The minister of state for parliamentary affairs P.R.Kumaramangalam was forced to intervene as angry BJP and Congress members hurled charges at each other. The generally affable minister lost his cool as the opposition members continued to disturb him as he spoke. Mohan Singh (JD) who appeared to be bent on needling Kumaramangalam was heard saying above the din that the bill was intended to prevent Sonia Gandhi from entering politics He added that he was moving a similar bill next week.
The minister visibly angry asked of the opposition to allow him to speak. He said that the normal courtesy was not being observed in the House. After the opposition quietened down
Kumaramangalam said that it was me that a Private Members Bill vas generally not opposed at introduction. But a number of legal objections had been brought in und serious questions about the competence of the House to consider the bill had been expressed_ He wanted the matter to be discussed in the Speakers chamber before members took a decision He also requested the BJP member to withdraw the bill.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 6, 1991
