Press Briefing Monday, 20th June 2011

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan addressed the media today.

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said we have always, from this podium and from Uttar Paradesh, repeatedly condemned the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh and we have repeatedly called upon the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to take immediate action to ensure the restoration of law and order in that State. However, over the recent time, there has been a spate of horrific and terrible atrocities against women particularly women belonging to disadvantaged sections of society and those belonging to scheduled castes. According to news report, in the last 48 hours alone, there have been six incidents of rape – one or two of gang rape and one or two including murder or grievous injury to the victim. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, although she is a woman, has not shown an iota of seriousness in tackling this worst form of atrocities against women and over the last few days, in fact, starting from March when these incidents began to intensify, hardly any action has been taken by the government except for isolated suspension of policemen or transfer of officers of dereliction of duty. Serious action in terms of deterrence, swift action to ensure that these terrible incidents do not recur has not been taken by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh who has sought to trivialize the incident. I want to emphasize that there is no intention on anybody’s part to politicize these major human right violations,. These are instances of aggression and violence against the most disadvantaged section of society and are really blot upon any civilized society, democracy and certainly upon an elected government. The conviction rate even in the cases that are registered in Uttar Pradesh is abysmally low. MLAs and even Ministers belonging to the ruling party, some are already in jail, have been accused and have been found guilty of the worst form of atrocities against women and one or two are in jail. In India’s largest state, the situation has completely deteriorated into anarchy where it is impossible for a woman to walk safe and free and the Chief Minister of the state has taken no action at all against any of the accused. The perpetrators have not been brought to book. Even today, there was one more incident reported of the gang rape of 35 year old woman. Not a single day passes, when these types of incidents do not happen and this indicates a terrible malice in the administration of Uttar Pradesh. We, therefore, call upon the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh to take immediate action to set right the law and order problem to ensure that not one more atrocity against the women takes place and even if such acts do occur, to ensure that speedy justice is delivered to the perpetrators and to ensure that particularly the police act effectively because in one incident of Lakhimpur Kheri, the police have been accused of covering up the incident and it is only after the second autopsy, that involvement of police has been proved. So, the law and order machinery itself is suspect. This indicates a systemic problem in the administration of Uttar Pradesh and we call upon the Chief Minister to set the law and order situation immediately without any further delay and to ensure that the state becomes safe for women otherwise she will not have any moral authority to continue in office.

On the question whether the Congress party is demanding that a team from the centre should be sent to the state, Smt. Natarajan said, No, I am demanding that the Chief Minister should take the swiftest action because she is the administrative head of the state and I am questioning whether the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has any moral authority to continue in office when day after day atrocities against women and the general law and order situation are deteriorating so rapidly.

On another question whether an advisory should be sent from the Governor, Smt. Natarajan said that is a constitutional issue which is not for me to comment upon but as a political party, we can certainly call upon the Chief Minister to condemn the present situation and further call upon the Chief Minister to ensure the safety of women and to restore the law and order situation.

To a question over the statement of a police officer of the state that these were isolated incident, Smt. Natarajan said I condemn that officer’s attitude and his statement. Not one of these incidents has been denied. There is no question of these incidents being isolated. Every single incident has been captured by the media on television. He himself has not denied these incidents and there is no question of these incidents being isolated. In a civilized society, such incidents should not happen. Six rapes and murders – one or two involving policemen – are a terrible blot upon the government and the entire current ruling establishment of Uttar Pradesh.

To another question on the drafting of the Lokpal Bill and the Congress party’s stand on the same, Smt. Natarajan said, the government has been answering all the questions on this issue. The Congress party’s stand is extremely clear that when bill comes to all party meeting and thereafter to parliament for discussion, our future stand will be known. We have also taken a stand that under the constitutional scheme of things, it is only the legislature that can take a final call upon the drafting of the bill.

On another question as to how the Congress party look at the remarks of Shri Digvijaya Singh over Shri Rahul Gandhi taking over and the time, Smt. Natarajan said I want to point out first of all that our Prime Minister is Dr. Manmohan Sngh and he has done an excellent job in leading the government over these last seven years. I would also like to point out that Shri Rahul Gandhi has brought about a tremendous change among particularly the youth a tremendous change in terms of democratization of the party in terms of reaching out to farmers, to ‘dalits’ to various disadvantaged sections of society and in terms of attracting a large number of youth to join the party to revolutionize the internal systems of the party and has emerged as not only as a youth icon but certainly as a future leader and future leader of not only of this party but of the country.

Smt. Natarajan further added that the question of time for him to take over is something he will decide. The party high command will decide and I would to repeat the people of India will decide and I would further like to repeat once again that Dr. Manmohan Singh is Prime Minister at this point of time and will continue to lead us as Prime Minister.

On another question on the reaction of the Congress party that four years ago, the Congress President and Shri Rahul Gandhi cautioned the senior leaders from making a statement, Smt. Natarajan said I have not said anything about welcoming any statement. In fact, I believe that Shri Digvijaya Singh has himself clarified his remarks and said they have been misconstrued.

To another question if there is any proposal that CBI will not come under the purview of RTI as discussed in last week’s meeting , Smt. Natarajan said I have also seen the news report. I need to get further details on the same. There has been discussion at various levels on the pros and cons regarding at what level transparency is important and at what level it becomes detrimental to the investigation. These are the important issues which need to be discussed before I can come back to the media about the official stand of the party. I just want to point out that it is entirely as a result of the Congress President and Prime Minister that RTI has become law in this country – a major foundation of transparency and integrity. 
 

(Tom Vadakkan)
Secretary, AICC