New Delhi: Terming attorney-general (A-G) Mukul Rohatgi’s opinion on the post of Leader of the Opposition as “politically motivated” and one to “please his political masters”, the Congress on Saturday claimed that it will “fight it out” to get the post. The A-G, in his opinion to the government, had said that the Congress had no claim over the post as it does not have the requisite strength of 10 per cent of the present Lok Sabha.
The deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Capt. Amarinder Singh, said, “The advice of the A-G seems to be politically motivated. The Leader of the Opposition’s post is our party’s right. We shall take whatever necessary steps that are needed to be taken. We will fight it out with whatever options are necessary.” He said that the times have changed and a Leader of the Opposition was required for making fair appointments and the Congress cannot allow the BJP alone to make key appointments on its own. The party, he said, will meet shortly to carve its strategy on the issue.
“The A-G’s opinion is not worth the paper on which it is written. It is unfortunate that the A-G has given an opinion to please his political masters. The A-G is just providing an apology for the blatantly partisan approach of a confrontational government,” Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma told reporters here.
Mr Sharma said, “I do not know to which law the A-G has referred with regard to the post. The A-G is expected to have a better understanding of law and statutes not to give such an opinion which belittles his office.”
Dealing a blow to the Congress’ bid to secure the post, Mr Rohatgi has said that the party has no case to claim the same. There is no precedence to back the party’s case since the days of the first Lok Sabha, the A-G has said while conveying his views to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who had sought his opinion. Mr Sharma accused the government of “trying to pressurise” Ms Mahajan on the issue even as he urged her to take a “fair” decision.
