Union home minister L K Advani wrote down his resignation and handed it over to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Lok Sabha yesterday when the entire opposition cut across party lines to demand that three ministers including Advani who were accused and were on bail in Babri Masjid demolition case should resign on moral grounds. Vajpayee rejected the demand as "untenable".
Human resource development minister Murli Manohar Joshi, who is also an accused in the same case, also wrote down a letter but he was persuaded by Advani not to hand it over to the Prime Minister. The third minister who is an accused in the case is tourism minister Uma Bharti. Uma Bharti refused to "fall into the trap" and resign, particularly "when Bofors probe was in its last leg".
Vajpayee later himself confirmed the resignations and told reporters outside Parliament House that "I turned them (resignation) down".
"They are not accused of corruption or misuse of office", the Prime Minster said adding that the demolition case is before the court and government would make efforts to expedite it. "I hope they (the three ministers) will not insist on their resignations", he said.
The entire resignation drama took place in the Lok Sabha in full view of a packed press gallery which sits right above the seats occupied by the Prime Minister and the home minister.
The entire media present in the gallery came out of their seats to peer down at the House below to watch what was going on.
Advani noticed this, looked up at the press gallery and folded the paper he had given to the Prime Minister. Vajpayee himself looked at the press gallery for some time and then pushed the paper into his pocket. By the animated discussion among themselves, Vajpayee, Advani and Joshi made it very clear to all what they were talking about.
In his reply, the Prime Minister said that "neither the Constitution nor the law disqualify a minister from holding office merely because a chargesheet is filed by the police or formal charges are framed by the court.
"The question as to who should be in the council of ministers is one of Prime Ministerial discretion, and sense of political propriety. Many circumstances are relevant to the final decision of the Prime Minister on these issues".
The entire opposition has been agitating since Monday demanding from the Prime Minister to know whether the three ministers were accused in the criminal case involving demolition of the Babri mosque. The Lok Sabha could not transact any business on Monday and had to be adjourned twice yesterday until the government announced that Vajpayee would give the reply at 5 pm.
While Vajpayee has partially accepted this in his reply, he has refused to accept the opposition demand as "untenable". There were indications that the opposition might take up the issue once again in the House today as the entire opposition yesterday marked its protest by walking out of the Lok Sabha after the Prime Minister's reply.
The main target of the opposition was Advani as being the home minister, he was supposed to be monitoring the criminal case. Most speakers wanted the three to quit on moral ground and said once charges are framed they must quit or be removed.
From the press gallery it was apparent from their gestures that Advani was the first to start writing his resignation. Joshi looked at his letter and also started writing. Vajpayee was seen observing Advani's letter from the corners of his eyes without moving an inch himself. Information and broadcasting minister Arun Jeitley, who was sitting behind Advani, was also seen observing the letter and then looking up at the media with concern.
When Advani was finished with his letter, he pushed it slowly towards the Prime Minister who tried to persuade him not to give it. Joshi also initially advised Advani not to give the letter but when Advani insisted and the Prime Minister kept the letter, Joshi also appeared to write a lengthy letter. When he passed on his letter to Advani to pass it on to the Prime Minister, Advani was seen persuading him not to give his resignation. Joshi was seen taking back his letter from Advani.
`Neither the Constitution nor the law disqualify a minister from holding office merely because of a chargesheet
