Press Briefing Friday, 21 August 2009

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan addressed the media today.


Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said that the Congress party welcomes the steps taken by the government in increasing the minimum support price of essential food commodities particularly paddy and tuhar dal and also other essential food commodities such as bajra and host of other commodities in a very significant term and our Chairman has briefed you after the Working Committee. The Congress Working Committee has taken serious note and expressed great concern over this situation and therefore, the government has taken immediate steps. In addition there is a grave concern over the difference in the prices in the wholesale price index and the retail prices pointing to a certain amount of hoarding and black marketing. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all stakeholders including State governments to crack down upon hoarding and black marketing. We are confident that procurement will considerably improve as a result of measures taken by the government and as a result the supply to the public distribution system and the rise in prices will be well controlled.

To a question on a statement coming in from the party as well as the government that all measures will be taken to control the price but the ground situation seems to be different, Smt. Natarajan said that there is absolutely no question. We are confident that this will not be allowed to spiral out of control. The most vital steps have been taken by the government already. The other steps which have just been taken, we hope will lead to greater procurement from the farmers and will work as an incentive to the farmers towards giving us greater procurement and we, therefore, believe that every possible step is being taken to control the prices and prices will come down.

To another question over Haryana cabinet suggesting dissolution of the assembly and going for early assembly election, does it mean that the government is afraid that the prospects of the party will not improve keeping in view the rising trend in the prices of the essential commodities, Smt. Natarajan said she is not aware of the reason given by the Haryana cabinet for recommending early elections. Smt. Natarajan said that she can categorically state that the congress party is very confident of winning the elections once again in Haryana. Our party Government has performed exceptionally well and we are confident that we will once again form the government in Haryana. There is no question of any fear.

On the question of Gujarat unit of congress party supporting the ban on Jaswant Singh’s book, does it mean that it becomes the unstated policy of the congress party; Smt. Natarajan answered in negative and said that it can never be the policy. The Gujarat unit head had actually explained that this statement of welcoming the ban was not made by the party in Gujarat. The question really is that this is not the case. We had categorically rejected the news report in what we read from the news reports. Smt. Natarajan further said that she has not read the book but whatever has been suggested by Shri Jaswant Singh, that has appeared in the news report, we categorically reject those contents. The BJP leaders have a history of making wrong statement. Although it is an internal matter of their party, it is very clear that different yard sticks were used for Mr. Advani and Mr. Jaswant Singh. It is equally clear that this is a wrong example to illustrate the question of whether a book should be banned or not because in this case this book has been banned as a result of factionalism and groupism within the BJP rather than the contents of the book itself.

To a further question on congress party’s suggestion whether this book should be banned or not, Smt. Natarajan said that as already said, we have not read the contents of the book. Regarding whether this particular book should be banned, is a call that every government will take. She would only suggest that the Gujarat government has banned the book and the Karnataka government did not ban the book. As appearing from news report, the call of ban is a fall out of internal party differences and groupism within the BJP rather than going to the root of any issue in relation to the book itself but as far as the congress party is concerned, Smt. Natarajan said that we categorically reject the contents of that book as reported in the media.

To a similar question, Smt. Natarajan said that we have not read the book. It is upon every government to examine whether the book should be banned or not but this is not a good case to discuss the ban of the book because this is the result of the groupism.

On the question of comments of the congress party on the results of bye-polls, Smt. Natarajan said that we will examine the bye poll results and we will try to find what were the reasons of set back in certain places.

To the question of congress party claiming the freedom of expression in relation to the ban on Jaswant Singh’s book, Smt. Natarajan said that we absolutely respect the freedom of expression. The congress party stands for freedom of expression but however, we have not read the book. From news report, we totally reject the contents of the book. The BJP leaders are famous for making these types of remarks.

Smt. Natarajan further said that we do not support the views of Mr. Jaswant Singh on Jinnah. We do not support what Mr. Advani said of Jinnah. We do not support the views of Arun Shourie on Dr. Ambedkar. We feel that the BJP in this case also has played double standards but that is their internal matter. The congress party totally rejects the contents of the book. The BJP have no respect for those who fought for independence.




(Tom Vadakkan)

Secretary, AICC