New Delhi, Feb. 23: An unusually combative Manmohan Singh today hit back hard at BJP taunts of being “a weak PM with no authority”, suggesting it was the Opposition party that had a problem of authority, being under the thumb of “shadowy” organisations like the RSS.

“My authority derives from (my) record of performance. I secure my strength from my work,” he said.

The BJP had earlier forced two adjournments in the Lok Sabha over reports that the Centre was pressuring the CBI to move against L.K. Advani in the Ayodhya case. In a house ringing with calls for his resignation, Singh stood up to reply to the motion of thanks on the President’s address.

He compared the way his government had accelerated “growth? in equitable, fair and just manner” with the NDA regime’s “focus on a socially divisive” and “backward-looking” agenda. Then he landed his hardest punch.

“Every now and then, a question is raised about the prime ministerial authority, as if we live in some totalitarian system, in some fascist state where authority has to be visibly asserted,” he said.

“That may be the culture and outlook of those who keep raising this issue?. Maybe (they) think other parties function like theirs, allowing shadowy organisations to interfere in the work of elected governments.”

Singh’s government was equally combative on the Advani issue, with the parliamentary affairs minister saying it could be debated under any rule the BJP wanted. Sources cited two reasons for the Centre’s confidence.

One, on Ayodhya, the Centre has Left and Samajwadi Party support. Two, the Congress has fished out two PMO communications on the subject from the time A.B. Vajpayee headed the government.

The notes said the “matter” (Advani’s exoneration by the trial court) should be examined. They were dated September 30, 2003, and October 3, 2003, and had been sent to the cabinet secretary and the CBI director.

“When Vajpayee himself suggested the case against his deputy Prime Minister needed a second look, why are we being accused of interference?” a Congress source said.

Advani, the leader of the Opposition in the House, didn’t turn up to speak on the motion of thanks to the President’s address, irritating the Centre which had reworked the schedule yesterday following his request that a whole hour be set aside for him.