Press Briefing Friday, 18 September 2009

Shri Manish Tewari addressed the media today.


Shri Manish Tewari said that the Congress party would like to unequivocally condemn that statement of the UP Chief Minister where she has openly in a manner called for civil war and said that she would ensure that anarchy prevails throughout the country. On one hand the statement of UP Chief Minister mocks the constitution of India, challenges the Supreme Court and sends out a clear message that the Chief Minister does not believe in the rule of law. It is ironic that on one hand the UP Government by an affidavit in the Supreme Court profusely apologized for its conduct in blatantly violating the undertaking which it had given to the Supreme Court on 8th September 2009 and on the other hand the Chief Minister of that very State uses language which can be termed as impetus about a court which is considering matters to the same issue which are under its consideration.

Shri Tewari further said this tantamounts to contempt of court and he is sure that the Supreme Court would take due notice of these utterances of the Chief Minister of Utter Pradesh, orchestrating attacks on the residence of the President of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee, rewarding the alleged attackers with Ministerhips and now the statement clearly betrays the confidence or rather clearly betrays the faith which the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has in democracy, democratic traditions and rule of law.

On the question that the Congress party has not reacted to the statement of former UP Chief Minister Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav when he said that if he comes to power once again in UP, he will bull doze all such statues of Dalit leaders in UP, then why such hue and cry on the statement of the present UP Chief Minister, Shri Manish Tewari said that this statement of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister has come at a time when such issue is pending before the Hon’ble Apex Court and whether her statement was in retaliation to what the former UP Chief Minister has earlier said or was it a challenge to the Hon’ble Supreme Court, it will be decided by the Hon’ble Apex Court only.

On a related question of installing statues in Maharashtra at the stroke of elections in Maharashtra, Shri Manish Tewari said that first of all most he would very respectfully point out that here the issue is not the statues; we have dealt with statues and memorials in our earlier briefings, he would not like to go in to that again. Shri Manish Tewari further added that the issue out here is the statement by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister which tantamounts to mocking the Constitution of India, the rule of law and almost in effect challenging the majesty of the Supreme Court. That is the issue this time.

In related to the above question that why the Congress party is not vocal about its own Government in Maharashtra, Shri Tewari said that first of all the statue in Maharashtra or the proposed statue in Maharashtra has not been commissioned. There is no denying the fact that there are religious and cultural activities and there are aspirations which get reflected in the actions of the Government. Shri Tewari further added that having said that allow him to make a distinction that why the Congress party has no problem in somebody commemorating an iconic figure or a national leader, he thinks the Congress party definitely has problems if State or the money from the State exchequer is spent on building such statues. That is the important issue.

To a question over reaction of the Congress party on the statement of OSD to Shri Shashi Tharoor justifying his statement and the Congress party’s reaction on the statement of Chief Minister of Rajasthan , Shri Manish Tewari said that first of all he would like to make it clear that he would not like to dignify the comments of an ‘aide’ by an reaction from this podium and he would request the Media that kindly do not give undue and unnecessary importance to the remarks of the people who have no contribution in public life and having said that he would like to unambiguously reiterate what my colleague has said day before yesterday that the Congress party condemns what Mr. Tharoor has said and with regard to the reaction of Shri Ashok Gehlot, obviously when your statement is like this, there are bound to be reactions but the Congress Party would take whatever action is appropriate and necessary at the appropriate time.

To a question that Shri Tharoor has already apologized, Shri Tewari said that we need not to get into hair splitting at this stage. However, if you do want to make this distinction, there is a distinction between Government servants and other officials whose careers or jobs are co-terminus with that of their bosses so that is the distinction that he makes.

To a further question that action can be taken at the appropriate time, does it mean that Shri Shashi Tharoor’s job is now at stake, Shri Manish Tewari said that in the context of the statement which was made by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, such reactions are natural when the statements of such kind are made. However, the Congress party would take whatever action it deems appropriate at the appropriate time.

Shri Manish Tewari said that he would like to draw the attention of the Media to the statement made by his colleague day before yesterday and further said that as far as the comments of the Minister Of State is concerned, the reaction of the Congress party has made it clear day before yesterday by our spokesperson.

Shri Tewari said that he does not want to go into the details or to give blow by blow account of who said what and what the reaction was. Shri Tewari said that we have made our stand explicit and also our stand to various reactions which were consequent to it.

On the reaction of the Congress party on the results of the bye election and whether will it affect the ensuing Assembly elections in three States, Shri Tewari said that the results of the bye elections are not indicative of any trend in the ensuing assembly elections.



(Tom Vadakkan)

Secretary, AICC