India
The Congress vice-president called an impromptu press conference where he lashed out against his government's proposal.
Updated : Nov 21, 2013, 01:44 PM IST
On Friday, Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi in an impromptu media briefing caused a major embarrassment to the UPA government as he denounced the controversial ordinance to negate the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers as "complete nonsense" and said what "our government has done is wrong".
Read Rahul Gandhi's full speech
The Congress party reacted by saying, "situations evolve" as they were left red-faced by Gandhi's comments.
On Twitter, Shashi Tharoor, HRD minister for state tweeted,
For those who asked abt my silence on the Ordinance, I replied that I had learned the hard way that speaking out of turn was not OK4Minister
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 27, 2013
But now that my party VP has broken ranks, I'm delighted. I'd declined numerous invitations to defend the Ordinance. Let me say: RG is right
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 27, 2013
Congress MP from Mumbai, South had tweeted on Thursday expressing his disapproval of the ordinance,
Legalities aside allowing convicted MPs/MLAs 2 retain seats in the midst of an appeal can endanger already eroding public faith in democracy
— Milind Deora (@milinddeora) September 26, 2013
Even Congress MP Priya Dutt had tweeted on Thursday night said,
I do & always stand for clean politics and electoral reforms. Criminal free parliament is the least we can do for India
— Priya Dutt (@PriyaDutt_MP) September 26, 2013
There is some kind of "misunderstanding" on the intent and purport of the ordinance on convicted lawmakers and its contour needs to be understood in entirety, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said.
"Rahul Gandhi's rejection of ordinance indicates differences between Congress and UPA," said Rajnath Singh, President of the BJP.
Welcoming Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi denouncing the controversial ordinance to negate the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers, former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee said Gandhi has taken a principled stand.
Leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha and BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, "Those responsible for ordinance should resign."
Read Jaitley's full comment's here
The BJP spoke out saying, "Is this a govt or drama company."
Read the party's full stand here
Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj on Thursday night tweeted her views,
The Ordinance to save convicted MPs is illegal, immoral and unconstitutional.
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwarajbjp) September 26, 2013