PM's televised speech a 'futile exercise', says BJP

The BJP on Tuesday termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s television address promising all possible efforts to ensure safety of women in the country as a "face- saving device and a futile exercise to cover up his government’s complete negligence" of the issue.

BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi alleged that when the prime minister said the public anger over the gangrape of the woman in the national capital was justified, he "accepts the extreme and unprecedented failure of the union government and the Delhi state government".

"Why did Singh not promise and announce the holding of a special session of Parliament over the burning issue? added Naqvi told PTI here. He criticised Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde for allegedly bracketing of protesters at India Gate with Maoists and charged the "home minister’s statement was an indication that the government wanted to crush the democratic anguish against the government’s failures".

"It is more or less clear that Congress leaders, who have been in power, had a hidden hand in patronizing even those criminals who bring shame to the nation", alleged Naqvi.

Earlier at a press conference, Naqvi called the government’s Bill in Rajya Sabha on reservation in promotions for SC/ST "an unthought and spoilt curry boiled in a hurry".

"Don’t crush one to promote the other", he added.