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Govt to support Gujarat censure motion in Rajya Sabha

"We accept the motion in letter and spirit," said the leader of the House and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh intervening in the discussion on the Congress-sponsored motion in the Upper House where the ruling coalition is in a minority.

The government's change of strategy came a day after it survived a trial of strength in the Lok Sabha during voting on a similar censure motion but not before some constituents of the ruling coalition expressed resentment over the continuance of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and preferred not to support the government during the vote.

"We should pass the motion unanimously and move ahead to meet the challenges," Jaswant Singh said.

The seven-line motion moved by Manmohan Singh (Congress) has expressed deep sense of anguish at the persistence of violence in Gujarat for over six weeks leading to loss of lives of a large number of persons and destruction of property worth millions of rupees.

The motion urged the Centre to intervene effectively under Article 355 of the Constitution to protect the lives and properties of citizens and to provide effective relief and rehabilitation to victims of the violence.

Jaswant Singh said the home ministry has already taken some steps under Article 355 of the Constitution to direct the state government to take necessary steps and more were in the offing in the coming days, he added.

Soon after senior Congress member Arjun Singh initiated the discussion on the motion under Rule 170 entailing voting, Jaswant Singh asserted that the Centre was taking necessary action as per the Constitution to protect the life and property of the people in Gujarat.

Arjun Singh said the entire country was 'disillusioned' with the government's 'inaction' in curbing the violence that threatened the unity and integrity of the country.

Coming down heavily on both the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat and the NDA government at the Centre for what he described as 'intelligence failure', CPI-M member Nilotpal Basu said the post-Godhra attacks were pre-planned.

Meanwhile, Law Minister Arun Jaitley stressed the need for serious 'introspection' by the opposition over the continued acrimony on the Gujarat violence, which he said was fuelling an international campaign against India that was hurting the country's image.

On allegations of state apathy towards the victims of rape, loot, arson and violence, Jaitley said the police had taken action on all cases brought to its notice.

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