Press Briefing Monday, 4th January 2010
Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media today.
Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that first of all very a Happy New Year at this briefing in the New Year and warm welcome to all of you for your happiness, prosperity and good wishes in this New Year.
Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that the contrasts cannot be more stark and more clear between the ruling party and the ruling party coalition and the main principal opposition as we look over the last 12 months. My colleague has touched upon some of the broad achievements of the last year but what I want to emphasize before you is the starkness of the contrast. On the one hand you have the politics of development, the politics of constructive action of inclusiveness to leave the clear stand of the strong bold India. On the other, you have the stark contrast of the politics of division. The politics of Yatras - to yet another proposed by the eternal Yatri - the supposed current ‘Bhisham Pitamam’ of BJP Mr. LK Advani. The politics of personal competitive ambition – if you look at this very quickly at the level of electoral verdict, at the level of party work and at the level of governance.
Shri Singhvi said that at the political verdict level you have seen over the last year that barring a so-called success in Jharkhand, the BJP has been in the doldrums and will remain in the doldrums. This is not only the States as diverse as Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh have returned the Congress party not the first but second and sometime third time. But equally that there has been a true recognition of the sincerity of attempt by the Congress led Governments. Even where we might not have achieved the results but the sincerity of purpose is undoubted. At the party level, a revolution is going on - which some of us stand not to notice – the membership drive at both the NUSI and the Youth Congress progressing apace and even in the Congress although slower but the commitment is there, the focus is there, the purpose is there and good intention is there.
Shri Singhvi further said that in Jharkhand if we wanted, we could have formed the Government. We said ‘No’ from the position of strength, from the position of principle and from the position of commitment. In governance, the kind of unprecedented new initiatives being taken were never even thought of or talked about neither in 1998 to 2004 nor when the BJP was in opposition. The initiative in delivery system in a whole host of law reform to expedite cases, to solve barrier and in a whole host of national security initiatives. At the logistic level, internal security, Naxal issue level, terrorism level and logistic equipment level. In education, I am not here to describe to you the results which are still in the pipeline and will definitely come, but I am here to describe the fact of sincerity of purpose. And in contrast to all this, as I said, you have two striking features of contemporary politics as the last year draws to a close and new year ushered in. The two striking features are the declaration of yet another ‘Yatra’ by a ‘Rath Yatri’ whose ambition knows no bounds who has always been the eternal prime minister and would in waiting. We only hope and trust that this is not yet again a journey of vendetta, of division, of creating discord. Perhaps one day the ‘Rath Yatri’ will start thinking of a ‘Yatra’ of healing, of joining and not of dividing or perhaps yet it is another ‘Yatra’ to sing praises of Jinnah. The other feature, as somebody said, imitation is the best form of flattery and we are flattered to find that the BJP - the principal opposition - has suddenly discovered the virtues of inclusiveness. There is of course one Mr. Advani – talking of Rath Yatras – but the New President of the BJP has suddenly discovered the virtues of inclusiveness. Well, even if in an imitated form, even if in a copy book style, if they can think of doing some good to the nation by following Congress policies or approach. We can only be happy for the country and for the ‘Aam Aadmi’. But the real point, which I wish to make is, that this stark contrast in governance, in politics, in development has been an inherit feature of this country where it is the Congress and the Congress alone, despite occasionally failing, to have shown the sincerity of purpose and commitment and never has been this truer than the preceding year which has just ended.
On the question of response of the Congress party to creation of Telengana and whether the same principle will apply to other States also where there are demands of separate States; Shri Singhvi said that tomorrow is not today. You have to wait. The object is very clear. It is to first elicit, understand and then absorb whatever consensus and view exist at the most diverse widest multi-party forum possible and that process is being started in right earnest and sincerity tomorrow. What its outcome will be and what will be its actual content, obviously you will have to wait not only tomorrow but likely there may be some more meetings but again the foundation of the exercise is to elicit views and generate, if possible, a consensus so that a harmonious result can be achieved.
Shri Singhvi further said that it will be unrealistic to fix a time frame or deadline for the same and added that this is a process not a point. Tomorrow’s meeting is confined to Telengana only and it should not be linked to any other State. Shri Singhvi said that these are not the matters which can be discussed before TV cameras since these are very sensitive matters. The process is of consensus.
Shri Singhvi said that it only means that the congress wants to evolve a consensus whether this way or that way and it is for those people who are in the meeting to decide.
Tom Vadakkan
Secretary, AICC
