Press Briefing Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Dr. Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media today.


Before beginning the press briefing, Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi expressed condolences over the passing away of Ms. Ranjana Kakkar, a familiar face at the Congress party press briefings who covered the political beat for the publication “Milap”. He requested the members of the press to observe a moment of silence to show solidarity.

Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that as this election moves towards the last phase, the Congress party was absolutely confident of attaining significant numbers and dramatically improving its tally as the single largest political entity. He said that this country was looking for stable government ensuring inclusive economic growth. He added that the Congress party was aware that the choice in this country was between persons and the entities that have created instability, ones who have thrived on a divisive agenda and as against that, the electorate had a clear winner in Dr. Manmohan Singh led UPA Government with the Chairperson of the UPA Smt. Sonia Gandhi and a 5 year unprecedented record of achievement. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that as one goes across the country, to the villages, to the small towns, to public gatherings, etc one would find a very clear inclination in favour of the Congress party.

Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the Congress led government had given the people of India a right to quality transparent governance, the RTI Act – a right to new respect for India and a right to basic health and education which this Government turned into reality. Through the NREGA, National Rural Mission and various other schemes the government had empowered people with the Right to Employment, thereby generating the world’s biggest rural employment programme. A right to inclusive growth and the consolidation of fiscal initiatives were also listed as the achievements of the UPA government. He said that the UPA- a Congress led political entity had succeeded in its social, legal and political experimentation. He added that never before had India seen laws which sought to change social thinking and the social mind set like in the case of the Domestic Violence Act and Right to Information Act. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that never before had India seen such massive social inclusive programmes in relation to insurance, rural employment or uplifting the urban and rural sector.

Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the Congress party had a political history of 125 years which were full of achievements. On the other hand, one had the ‘National Disastrous Alliance’ or the ‘National Destructive Alliance’ which has always raised negative issues. Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that after 16th May 2009, a new chapter would be written in the political history of this nation. He added that the Congress Party had been shaped by India and the Congress party had single handedly shaped India.

On the question of the number of allies of UPA coming down, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that he did not want to go into the figures but he was sure that the Congress party would emerge as the single largest party with significantly higher numbers and along with its allies would secure a stable, comfortable and clear majority.

On a question of Congress party getting a majority of its own, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi, said that as a single party, it may not be possible for any party in the country to get majority by itself.

On the question relating to the statement of the BJP that there is a possibility of President of India calling the single largest formation instead of single largest party to form the government, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that the Congress party was not going to make any comment on this. These things should be reserved for a detailed debate and discussion after the 16th of May he said. He added that a lot of these questions may not arise given the figures that come out on 16th of May.

On a question that in 2004 the Congress party had brokered negotiations with each ally individually but this time around the allies were grouping together to negotiate with the Congress party to avoid being bullied by the Congress party, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi reminded the press that in the last 5 years this government had run the largest government alliance since independence. He further assured that individually and collectively, the Congress party knew how to run a coalition. He added that the Congress party had done it successfully and would do it successfully once again.

On a question as to whether the Congress party was falling back on old allies after trying to woo the new allies, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that there was no question of categorization of allies into old and new. It had been made clear that those today who were actively involved in the coalition with the communal forces could not be considered in alliance with the Congress party in the present time.

On the question of whether single largest pre-poll alliance or single largest post-poll alliance would be invited to form the government, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that these were complicated issues and he did not intend to comment on it. Dr. Abhishek Singhvi further added that this debate would not arise as the Congress party would successfully emerge as the single largest party and the single largest alliance.

On a question relating to Shri Amar Singh making a statement that the Congress party was in touch with Mayawati and was dropping the CBI cases against her, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that that there was absolutely no truth in these allegations. He did not wish to respond to such baseless allegations.

On a question on the plight of the Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that no one had done more for the cause of innocent Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka than the Congress party and the UPA. He added that the Congress party felt for them and was highly concerned about them. He added that due to the direct and successful diplomacy of the UPA government several concessions, benefits and remedies had been extracted from an independent sovereign nation. He said that terrorist organizations had to be differentiated from innocent civilians. Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that it was distressing to hear that the terrorist organization LTTE was using innocent Tamil civilians as a human shield, which was condemnable.

To a question over the government giving forged documents in relation to the Swiss bank accounts, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that this was a completely baseless allegation. If one would go into the details, one would find that the government on the contrary was hot on the heels of persons with such accounts. He said that the details could not be disclosed as it was sensitive information. He further added that Swiss Government and the Swiss Banks were the ones who swear more by secrecy and use every rule in the book to delay the disclosure of such accounts. Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that the Swiss banks shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds to disclose all the information suo-moto. But they don‘t do so as their laws were stringent.

To a question as to whether the Congress party considered the BSP a secular party or not, Dr. Abhishek Singhvi said that he did not intend to involve himself in either issuing or accepting any kind of certificates of this kind before the results were out on the 16th. He chose to remain silent on whether the Congress party considered the BSP to be a political untouchable or not.






(Tom Vadakkan)

Secretary, AICC