Press Briefing Monday, 11 May 2009

Shri Ashwani Kumar addressed the media today.


Shri Ashwani Kumar said that electioneering for the final phase of polling for the constitution of the 15th Lok Sabha is almost over. India - the world’s largest democracy – would be set to constitute the largest forum of democracy on 16th and soon thereafter this nation would have a secular government headed by the Congress party with the support of its allies. Shri Ashwani Kumar said that the Congress party had received reports from its leaders and workers engaged in the election, which had been minutely evaluated. He said that the Congress party has analyzed the issues that have attracted the attention of the voters of this country and therefore their response was a considered judgment. Shri Ashwani Kumar added that he was confident and took pleasure in informing the media that the Congress party would head the next secular Government at the centre.

Shri Ashwani Kumar said that he would like to state that the party focused itself on the core issues before the nation – security, inclusive economic development, issues relating to unemployment and the UPA’s track record of performance. Shri Ashwani Kumar reiterated with all the conviction at his command that this election was not an issueless election. Secularism, security and good governance have been the issues this election and on all these counts the verdict of the people of India would be supportive of the alliance led by the Congress party he added.

On the question of TRS joining the NDA rally at Ludhiana yesterday, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that the Congress party had not lost any allies and the TRS was with the Left front before joining the NDA.

To another question relating to the Congress party’s reaction on Nitish Kumar sharing the stage with Modi in Ludhiana yesterday, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that he did not wish to comment on any personality and Nitish Kumar would have to justify his actions in the people’s court. He added that the Congress party believed that so long as any party was in alliance with the BJP and Shiv Sena, they could not claim to be secular.

To a question on whether Shri Ashwani Kumar was now changing his stance that he took, just the other day, stating categorically that the TDP and Nitish Kumar were secular and on his response to Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav attacking Shri Rahul Gandhi for his statement of support on Nitish Kumar, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that what Shri Lalu Prasad had said required no interpretation. He further added that at this time no senior leader should use language which would create friction and division. He further added that it was for Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav to explain his statement. Shri Ashwani Kumar said that as far as the Congress party was concerned, the stand was clear - anyone supporting the BJP led forces directly or indirectly, was not supporting the secular cause.

To a further question as to whether an alliance with the Congress party was akin to taking a dip in the ‘Ganges of secularism’, Shri Ashwani Kumar explained that what he meant to say was that any political party that directly or indirectly supported the communal forces and the communal agenda of the BJP could not be considered as a secular party.

To a question over the situation in Sri Lanka, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that the Congress party stood for ensuring the security and safety of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka. The UPA Government had done whatever it could have done and would continue to do its utmost for the safety of innocent Tamils living in Sri Lanka.

To a further question, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that the Congress led UPA was rock solid with all its allies and that it had been made clear time and again that the Congress party would form the next government with its allies and that there was no question of leaving any of its allies.

To the question over Shri Sharad Yadav making a statement that the position of Shri Pranab Mukherjee was that of a ‘Head Clerk’ in the Congress party, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that the Congress party did not want Shri Sharad Yadav to issue certificates for its senior leaders and that the position of the senior leaders of the party was very well known to the people of India.

To a further question relating to a resolution passed in a meeting of the NCP in Mumbai yesterday stating that in a situation where the UPA did not get the desired number of seats to form the government, the NCP would explore the possibility of projecting Shri Sharad Pawar as the Prime Minister with the support of all secular parties, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that on the contrary whatever he had read in the newspapers indicated that Shri Sharad Pawar very recently made a statement that he was in favour of Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister.

To another question Shri Ashwani Kumar said that the Congress party remains steadfast on the principle of secularism and further added that secularism for the Congress party was not a tool of politics but the Congress party’s conviction.

To a question that whether the Congress party was forgetting what the Left did to it with regard to the Nuclear Deal and the violence in Nandigram while telling them that doors were open for their support to form government, Shri Ashwani Kumar said that today the situation of taking Left support had not arisen and when that situation would arise, the Congress party would take a considered view.







(Tom Vadakkan)

Secretary, AICC