Union cabinet decides to withdraw ordinance on convicted ministers

New Delhi: After Rahul Gandhi’s open trashing of the government, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided to withdraw the controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers as well as a related bill in the face of mounting public opinion against the measure.

The reversal by the Cabinet is seen as a rare instance of the government being forced to take back a measure that was cleared after much deliberation in the ruling party and the Council of Ministers after resistance from within.

At the meeting, NCP leader Sharad Pawar is understood to have criticised the events leading to the reversal of the Cabinet decision, an apparent reference Rahul’s public outburst.

He felt that institutions were being undermined when the decision on overturning the July 10 Supreme Court order which withdrew the immunity for convicted lawmakers.

Another ally, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah was also critical of the way Rahul condemned the government in public, undermining not just the Prime Minister, but the whole Cabinet.

The Cabinet decision comes six days after Rahul publicly denounced the ordinance cleared by the Cabinet on September 24 after approved by the Congress Core Group headed by party
President Sonia Gandhi.

Rahul had said the government was “wrong”, a criticism that was latched on to by BJP and other opposition parties which demanded resignation by the Prime Minister saying his authority had been undermined.