Press Briefing Monday, 15th March 2010
Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media today.
Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that we hold our head high as we offer ourselves for a critical appraisal of 12 years as a political party under the leadership and steward-ship of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi. This has been a journey of solid achievement of conquest of new peaks and unprecedented focus on social inclusion, a journey of resurgent Congress party with a focus on values and a moral dimension to politics, a period when politics has at least attempted to be redefined as a model of public service, a period of meaning what we say and saying what we mean. It is an expression of gratitude by a party to its leader and on the lighter side, if I may say; sometimes the transgression of party discipline is permissible even if the leader does not wish this expression of gratitude.
Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that these 12 years have been marked by approximately 6 years of governance at the centre and also governance in the States in varying numbers today 11 earlier up to 14 and so on. An achievement of a first time repeat of Congress pro-incumbent Government since 1980-84, an achievement of first time full-term Prime Ministerial repeat since the Nehruvian era. But this is not about power and post. It is not about wealth and power. It is not about the loafs of office. It is the quality of governance which has been the constant endeavor under Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s leadership. We have unblemished and taintless record. We have focused on moral values apart from everything else. We have both legislative and executive programmes which are completely novel in conception and unique in design. It is important to take a longer and larger perspective. It includes Right to Information Act, NREGA – the world’s largest social welfare scheme-, The Contemporaries modeling of Bharat Nirman programmes, a Rs. 65,000+ crore Farm Loan Waiver, a Forest Act with a focus on Dwellers’ Right and Livelihoods, Domestic Violence Act with a special unique approach about the vulnerable section namely women and Equal Rights for Women Act In Respect of Inheritance of Property, The Right to Education really and truly operationalized only under UPA under Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, Social Welfare Schemes in the unorganized sector never before created or implemented, The Swasthya Bima Yojana, Old Age Pension Scheme and of course, the most recent and most remarkable milestone Women’s Reservation Bill. This is a journey which we are proud to share with you and it is not a journey which by any means is complete. We do not claim to be infallible and we have had disappointments but under Mrs. Sonia Gandhi’s leadership, we may proudly say that nobody can doubt our bonafide and our commitment. We are willing subject for scrutiny and critical appraisal but we are proud also to say that we may have tried and failed occasionally but we have never failed to try and we shall continue to do that. We owe it to ourselves not to fail the commitments, the dreams and the ideals of our leader.
To the question whether the Congress party is considering diluting Women’s Reservation Bill in terms of both sub quotas as well as lowering 33% mark as indicated by Sharad Pawar yesterday, Shri Singhvi said that he speaks for the Congress party and made it clear that there is absolutely no such proposal and no such idea. Therefore, he does not wish to tilt at windmills and does not wish to be seen as crossing or doing imaginary crossings on non-existent bridges.
Shri Singhvi further said that within the coalition everything is going to be clarified and discussed and there is absolutely no disharmony. These are sometimes the frustrated wishes of some of our rivals but he assured that we will be on the same page as of now. There is no proposal of any kind.
To a question whether the UPA is united over this issue, Shri Singhvi added that absolutely it was the UPA which has pushed this Bill in the Rajya Sabha, it is the UPA which will achieve its dream of having the constitutional amendment and when a matter of such magnitude and progressive social legislation comes, there may be different views on details but when it comes to enacting the law, we are and shall remain on the same page. There is absolutely no cause for speculation in this regard.
To a further question as to the repercussions of this Bill, Shri Singhvi said that media has got it totally wrong. First of all, if the BJP and Left join in a coordinated repeated and frequent manner, as you suggest, then it is for them to give an explanation to those who are their voters as to why this unholy alliance between two supposedly diametrically opposed parties. As far as we are concerned, media is completely wrong in assuming that there is any connection at all between the Nuclear Liability Bill and the Women’s Reservation Bill. There is none. It is a frequent and not in the least and uncommon parliamentary practice to postpone the introduction of a Bill. Several suggestions come from different quarters. The Government has a right to consider inputs. The Government has a right to decide the time and the manner and choice of introduction of a Bill. Shri Singhvi requested not to link the unlinkables.
Shri Singhvi further said that we are going to press ahead on what we think is in the national and public interest. In that endeavor, right from UPA-I on the Nuclear 123 and onwards, if people want to support it in public interest, their support is welcome. But ultimately beyond a point we are not going to allow anybody to exercise the ‘VETO’ power. Where there is clear transparent public interest, we are pressing ahead and we have shown it to you not once but many times in the last six years.
Shri Singhvi further added there is no question of no talks with allies and said it is a constant evolving process where inputs and material is shared which is why we have informed decision making but to suggest that there is a proposal for modification of the Women’s Reservation Bill, it is completely wrong.
To the question whether the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill 2010 in the Lok Sabha was not taken up today for want of numbers, Shri Singhvi said that he completely and totally rejects that allegation. That is not true at all. That stage arises only after the Bill is introduced, then it is taken up for discussion and then there is voting. The practice of not introducing a Bill is not a uncommon practice in the least as was seen in the last session and earlier. That practice of non introduction has nothing whatsoever to do with the apprehension that we have no numbers. We repeat that we have full support of Lok Sabha. It is simply because the Government has a right to decide the time of its introduction including receiving inputs from all quarters and that is the right which you can not pre-empt by making insinuations and allegations about the time of introduction. It will be brought up again after a short while.
Shri Singhvi said that the party’s position on the Bill is not to go into completely subjective and wild allegations. The party believes from UPA-I that Nuclear Civil cooperation is vital for the country. This is a logical second step to that initiative which we push through despite large section of opposition which we believe was not in the national interest. This step is completely in accordance with international paradigms, international standards. Shri Singhvi added that there are roughly 30 nations which do this nuclear commerce. More than 28 of them have national legislation or international commitments under the Paris or Vienna Convention. The paradigm and the model of each of those 28 countries is either identical to the Bill now proposed or similar to that. No special concession or exemption is being offered in this Bill which is out of sync with either the Vienna or the Paris convention or the paradigm national legislation across the world. This is a measure to integrate India harmoniously into the global nuclear civil trading mechanism. Of course, there may be constructive inputs on matters of details which the Government is never ever to consider but if the whole world is following this model, Shri Singhvi said that he does not find any reason for people to oppose it. Ultimately it is going to be the parliamentary property when it is introduced but the Government believes in the second logical step which is why it has initiated the process which will continue. He further added that all legislations including international conventions have liability limited to operators and caps on liability.
Tom Vadakkan
Secretary, AICC
