Conservative deputies bitterly criticized Boris Yeltsin on Thursday for his aggressive stance toward the Soviet government, with one lawmaker saying the new Russian president "should not begin by confronting the central government."
Legislators also accused Yeltsin of political favoritism and complained about the public airing of his personal differences with Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev.Yeltsin, who gained the Russian republic's presidency by just a four-vote margin, had called for Prime Minister Nikolai Ryzhkov's resignation and said the powers of the Soviet Union's 15 republics should be put ahead of the national government's authority.
After the new Russian legislature convened Thursday, Ivan Galushko, a deputy from the Soviet Far East, drew loud applause when he urged Yeltsin "to refrain from hasty pronouncements on questions that are within the competence of the Congress or the Supreme Soviet."
Conservative lawmakers were again angered several hours later when Yeltsin, the presiding officer, allowed the reading of a draft statement expressing the Congress' opposition to the economic-reform plan introduced last week by the Soviet government.
The flury of criticism forced Yeltsin to the podium to defend himself in the Congress, which is almost evenly divided between conservatives and liberals.
"I am bound to protect the interests of all the people, not of a separate group, party or social organization," Yeltsin said. "This means that I am no longer a Democratic Russia member and therefore not its hostage."