The main opposition, the BJP, found little to object to the president’s address outlining government agenda. A leader said the party’s focus in the debate on the motion of thanks to the address would be on two “glaring omissions” — the issue of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka and their rehabilitation and the racist attacks on Indian students in Australia.
The BJP made the points at its first media briefing after the drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls, signalling a gradual return to normalcy following the resolution of its leadership issue, at least for the time being.
The briefing was called hurriedly after the party’s new deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, issued orders to the effect, astounded that no briefing had been organised to state the BJP’s view on the president’s address.
Swaraj said, “It [president’s address] more or less accommodates the plans and programmes the BJP has been talking about.”
“It is based more on our manifesto than theirs,” she said, adding that her party’s task would be to ensure that the promises made in the speech are fulfiled by the government.
Swaraj declined to give a detailed, point-by-point reaction, saying it would be inappropriate and unfair to the party members who would speak on the address during the debate on the motion of thanks.
