2006年VOA标准英语-India's Ruling Party Chief Quits Parliamen

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
23 March 2006

The head of India's ruling Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi, has resigned from Parliament following a political controversy¹ that threatened to disqualify her from her seat. Gandhi says she will return to Parliament.

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Sonia Gandhi addresses press, Thursday  
  

In a short and unexpected statement, Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi stepped down as a member of the lower house of Parliament on Thursday, saying she had not joined politics for selfish reasons.

The resignation came in the wake of opposition² party petitions that Gandhi should be disqualified from Parliament because she holds another salaried government position.

Those demands erupted after a lawmaker from a rival party was disqualified, apparently³ at the insistence⁴ of the Congress Party, for holding a second post.

The Indian constitution bars lawmakers from holding any government post that entitles them to pay or perks⁵. Gandhi headed a government body known as the National Advisory⁶ Council - a post she relinquished⁷ along with her parliamentary seat.

The opposition demands for Gandhi's disqualification prompted the Congress Party to consider bringing in changes in the law so that Mrs. Gandhi could continue to hold her parliamentary seat.

But that prompted an outcry from opposition parties, who accused the government of trying to change rules to benefit Gandhi.

As the controversy raged, Gandhi made the dramatic announcement that she would quit. She said she is only in politics to serve the country.

"I have done this because I think this is the right thing to do," she said.

As hundreds of Congress party workers chanted slogans in her support, Gandhi said she is not leaving politics, and will run for a parliamentary seat again.

A senior leader of the opposition Bharatiya Janata party called Mrs. Gandhi's resignation a bid to gain the moral high ground.

"This is a desperate attempt to save her face in the midst of developments that took place in the last two days. The politics of revenge has recoiled⁸ back," he said.

This is not the first time that Gandhi has surprised her adversaries⁹. She turned down the post of prime minister two years ago after leading her Congress Party to a dramatic victory after opposition lawmakers argued that a person of foreign origin should not head the government.

Gandhi is the Italian-born widow of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and is considered one of India's most powerful politicians.

1 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

5 perks   

额外津贴，附带福利，外快( perk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Perks offered by the firm include a car and free health insurance. 公司给予的额外待遇包括一辆汽车和免费健康保险。
• Are there any perks that go with your job? 你的工作有什么津贴吗？

6 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

7 relinquished   

交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
• The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。

8 recoiled   

v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回

参考例句：

• She recoiled from his touch. 她躲开他的触摸。
• Howard recoiled a little at the sharpness in my voice. 听到我的尖声，霍华德往后缩了一下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句