Press
Briefing Monday, 29th March 2010
Shri
Manish Tewari addressed the media today.
Shri Manish Tewari said that from Nathu Ram Godse to the
programme in Gujarat, from the Member of Parliament of Gandhinagar to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, it has
once again become very evident that the Bhartiya Janata
Party believes in the politics of lampoonism, in the
politics of violence and extends it even to complicity
in mass murder. It has also become very evident that the
Bhartiya Janata Party has battered itself in the art of
hypocrisy and double speak. The former leader of the
opposition had said that 6th of December 1992 was the
saddest day of his life. While, if you go by the
testimony given by a responsible police officer in a
court of law, it becomes very evident that the former
Leader of Opposition was in joy on the 6th of December
1992. The BJP since yesterday have been patting the
Gujarat Chief Minister on his back for respecting the
rule of law as if he has done this nation a great favour
by appearing before a special investigation team. He
appeared not because he volunteered; he appeared because
he was summoned to be examined for his complicity in the
massacre of 2002. If Mr. Modi the Chief Minister of
Gujarat has that much of respect of constitutional
propriety and the rule of law, then where did he go when
Gujarat was burning for four months. It is high time
that even the people of Gujarat rejected that would they
like to have someone as Chief Minister who has been
summoned like a common criminal to be examined in a case
of mass murder. A person who because of his flagrant
violation of human rights not once but repeatedly over
nine years of his regime is not found fit by certain
countries even for the issuance of a visa. The BJP
claims that it is a party with difference. Is the
difference that they support a person who has been
summoned to be examined in a criminal matter and that
too a matter of murder. A man who himself was censored
by nobody else than the former Prime Minister for
flagrantly violating what he called the ‘Raj Dharma’. It
is too much to expect from a party whose intrinsic
political philosophy is premised on fear, terror and
riots. It is high time that the people of this country
also introspect whether such a party is even fit to be
the principal opposition party of such a proud,
progressive and culturally diverse and pluralistic
nation.
To a question that the Congress Party did not hold
anybody responsible for massacre of a minority community
in 1984 riots, Shri Tewari said that the Congress party
has repeatedly stated that what happened in 1984 was
most unfortunate. He further said that it was the
Congress party which had constituted Ranganath Mishra
Commission to probe into 1984 riots. After this it was
the Congress President not once in 1998 in Chandigarh
and then in ‘Harimandir Sahib’ expressed concern over
the phase Punjab had passed through. It was the Congress
Party led Government only which had sanctioned relief to
the victims of 1984. It was the UPA Government which
once again decided to start proceedings against the
accused. Whenever we speak about Gujarat and accuse
their Chief Minister, the Bhartiya Janata Party starts
raising 1984 riots issue. The Congress Party has
repeatedly said that 1984 riots were most unfortunate.
Shri Tewari questioned the Bhartiya Janata Party as to
what did they do for riot victims when their Party was
in power at the centre. It has been the convention of
the BJP to shed only crocodile tears and to politicize
every issue.
To a question of Narender Modi’s presence along with the
Chief Justice of India, Shri Tewari said that Mr. Modi
had crossed all limits to embarrass the Chief Justice of
India by occupying seat next to him since only a day
before he was asked to appear before the SIT constituted
by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. If the BJP had any
morality, they would have removed Narender Modi
immediately after the preliminary enquiry was started
into the Gujarat riots and if Mr. Modi had any moral
character, he would not have attended the function when
he had known fully well that his presence would
embarrass the Chief Justice of India.
To a question over Narender Modi making a statement that
whoever opposes Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is a Taliban, Shri
Tewari said that he would like to ask a direct question
from Mr. Amitabh Bachchan that if he is the Brand
Ambassador of Gujarat, whether he wants to endorse the
lions of Gir or the white sands of Rann of Kutch. That
is his problem. Shri Tewari put up a question before Mr.
Amitabh Bachchan that as the Brand Ambassador of
Gujarat, does he condemn the role of Mr. Narender Modi
and his Government in the riots of Gujarat in 2002 or
does he endorse the role of Mr. Narender Modi’s
Government. If he is a sensitive man and a right
thinking man, which I believe he is, then obviously he
should come out strongly and condemn it and after that
it is to be seen for how long does Mr. Amitabh Bachchan
remain the Brand Ambassador of Gujarat. He may be
Ambassador but Gujarat will not remain a Brand. It is
high time that Mr. Amitabh Bachchan comes out very
strongly tell this country as to where does he stand on
the question of Mr. Narender Modi and his Government‘s
complicity in Gujarat riots.
To a question over the picture of Abhishek Bachchan that
was removed from a function in New Delhi, Shri Tewari
said that it depends upon the organization that had
organized such a programme and this question should be
asked from the said organization.
To a related question that the BJP wanted Mr. Amitabh
Bachchan to be Brand Ambassador for the Commonwealth
Games, Shri Tewari said that who the Commonwealth
Organizing Committee wants as its Brand Ambassador is
their prerogative and their outlook. The Congress Party
has nothing to say about that. Shri Tewari further said
that the Congress party has never played the politics of
personality. We always believe that issues are of far
more importance. This entire episode came up in the
context of Mr. Amitabh Bachchan becoming the Brand
Ambassador for Gujarat and the Chinese wall that he has
been attempting to put up between Mr. Narender Modi and
the white sands of the Rann of Kutch. This does not
wash. He is the Brand Ambassador of Gujarat which at
this point in time is being administered by a man who
has been compared with Milosevic not by me but by
respected Human Rights activists across the world. If
Mr. Amitabh Bachchan is a sensitive person, which he
claims to be, he needs to tell the nation where does he
stand on the question of Gujarat riots? Shri Tewari
further added that there is no boycott of anybody. The
Congress party does not believe in the phraseology of
the language of boycotts, but they are important
questions which have come up. Those questions are raised
by our local unit in Gujarat and we completely
absolutely, unambiguously endorse those concerns because
if you are in public domain and you take upon yourself
to promote a particular state, you cannot just sweep
under the carpet the obnoxious abysmal human rights
records of that State. uman RigHuman
To a question that the Government is preparing to talk
to Taliban in Afghanistan, Shri Tewari said that it is
not advisable for any political party to offer comments
unless something is announced officially. This has
become the habit with the Bhartiya Janata Party to
politicize each and every issue, right from Nuclear to
Headley. They should have allowed the Ministry of
External Affairs or somebody in the Government to
officially respond to it before completely tilting at
windmills.
Tom Vadakkan
Secretary, AICC
