Amid infighting within its own ranks, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee complaining about the squabbling between two central ministers.
BJP MP V.K. Malhotra said he had written to the speaker seeking a motion to suspend parliamentary business Dec 2 to discuss infighting between Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, which he described as gross impropriety.
Malhotra pointed out the ministers were accusing each other through TV channels, public rallies and press conferences.
Locked in bitter rivalry for the upcoming assembly elections in Bihar, Lalu Prasad has accused Paswan of involvement in a multibillion-rupee scam and harbouring criminals, while the latter has accused the former of running scot-free despite facing corruption charges.
"The cabinet has a collective responsibility and this sort of infighting among ministers is against this very concept," Malhotra told reporters, insisting that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh explain why he was not taking steps to deal with the situation.
"The government and the prime minister are mocking the democratic system. This is a serious matter, a case of constitutional impropriety," said the MP.
The ruling Congress party brushed aside the charges.
"We have an appropriate forum to discuss those issues and we can sort it out there," said a party spokesperson.
--Indo-Asian News Service