Date : June 06, 2011

MEMORANDUM SUBMITTED BY NDA LEADERS TO

MAHAMAHIM RASHTRPATI JI
Never since those fateful days of June 1975 has the country witnessed such a brutal
attack on civil liberties and democratic rights enshrined in the Constitution as it did just
past midnight on June 4-5 this year. Your Excellency, as the guardian of the sacrosanct
Constitution, we believe it is your duty to safeguard its principles and ensure that people’s
rights are not trampled upon. Through this Memorandum we therefore seek to draw your
attention to the concerted attempt by the Government of the day to stamp out people’s
yearning for a corruption-free regime, specifically their genuine demand to unearth and
bring back to India money that has been illicitly stashed away in foreign banks and tax
havens.

The barbaric attack on peaceful supporters of Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev by the Delhi
Police on the instructions of the Union Government, is truly reminiscent of General Dyers’
psychopathic action against freedom fighters in Jallianwala Bagh. Never before in recent
history has brute force been unleashed on an assembly of unsuspecting people who were
peacefully sleeping at that hour. As a result of the heinous assault more than 70 persons
have been injured, a woman has become paralysed for life and several others may not be
able to resume normal life. Is this how the police in an independent, democratic country are
supposed to behave? Baba Ramdev, respected even revered by millions of Indians, too,
was not spared and had to save himself from assault with great difficulty. Although leaders
of the ruling party are now hurling indecent abuse, till a few hours before the crackdown,
they were busy negotiating with him!

And what were the demands that led to such unspeakable violence being let loose?
The prime issue raised by the Baba as well as other civil society leaders pertains to steps
that need to be taken to dismantle the corrupt edifice that has been built in this country over
the years. In particular, people want the wealth siphoned off from India to be returned to
our coffers. This demand was first raised by Shri LK Advani, former Deputy Prime

1
Minister, on the eve of the 2009 election. After the UPA 2 regime was installed, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh solemnly pledged to initiate all necessary steps to undertake
this mission. For two years, Your Excellency, your Government has slept over it. Is it any
wonder then, that frustrated by the Government’s somnolence and stone-walling tactics,
people’s anger is spilling over?

At various stages during civil society’s demand for bringing back the country’s
resources, the Government has assured us that it will initiate steps forthwith. It had
reportedly even pledged that it would declare all Indian money stashed abroad as “National
Wealth” and bring forward legislation to ensure this is seized and returned to where it
belongs – namely, the people of India. After last weekend’s brutality, the Government’s
intentions are clearer than ever. It has no plan to implement this popular demand.
Understandably, therefore, widespread allegations are being voiced that the powers that be
are busy protecting some persons who have indulged in this criminal pilferage.

Your Excellency, the Government’s malafide actions call for your immediate
intervention. We appeal to you to take cognizance of the seriously disturbed situation that
prevails in the country today. Democracy is under threat from a vicious Government that
seems intent on silencing the voice of the people and crushing the upsurge against
corruption. We, therefore, humbly plead that you use the powers vested in your office to
summon a Special Session of Parliament in the soonest possible time to:

1. Compel the Government to explain its brutal action against peaceful protesters and
apologise for this attack on civil liberties and democratic rights.

2. Bring forward a resolution declaring all Indian money stashed away in foreign
banks as “National Wealth”

3. Introduce a legislation to empower enforcement authorities to take severe penal

action against those who have indulged in such criminal pilferage of national
resources.

2
 Your Excellency, we urge you to recognize that democracy itself is under threat today
as a result of the Government’s actions. People’s faith in the system is ebbing because they
find the Government determined to protect the corrupt while punishing those who demand
action for dismantling the edifice of corruption. In order to save democracy and restore the
nation’s faith in the Constitution, it is imperative that you intervene and act without further
delay. Summoning of a Special Session of Parliament immediately is that first concrete
step that needs to be taken by you to reassure the people that democracy is safe and as the
Constitution’s guardian you will not allow the conspiracy to derail it, to succeed.

(L.K. Advani) (Nitin Gadkari)

Chairman, NDA BJP National President

(Sushma Swaraj) (Arun Jaitley)

Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Leader of Opposition (Raj Sabha)

(Murli Manohar Joshi) (Rajnath Singh)

MP (Lok Sabha) MP (Lok Sabha)

(Gopinath Munde) (S.S. Ahluwalia)

Deputy Leader of Opposition Deputy Leader of Opposition
(Lok Sabha) (Rajya Sabha)

(Naresh Gujral) (Ram Sundar Das)

MP (Rajya Sabha) MP, JDU

(Bharat Kumar Raut)

MP

(Ravi Shankar Prasad) (Ananth Kumar)

MP (Rajya Sabha) MP (Lok Sabha)