Press Briefing Friday, 3rd June 2011

Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media today.

On the question of the reaction of the Congress party on the proposed agitation by Baba Ramdev, Shri Singhvi said let us be clear that we do not want to add or subtract from what we have already said. This is a process going on at the government level with others and we have nothing to say on it. When interactions, negotiations, talks take place to try to solve matters or try to find remedies to serious problems please do not trivialize it, please do not either treat it as by using adjectives like going on bended knees, apprehensions, fear. Ultimately, so long as we feel that some good can come out of something, I think everybody is interested in going on but certainly when we find there is nothing else involved, and then different things will occur.

On another question on the reaction of the Congress party on the visit of senior Ministers at the Airport to meet Baba Ramdev in finding solution to the agitation, Shri Singhvi further said the Congress party has already reacted on this. There is nothing for me to add or subtract. That is between the government and those who are negotiating with the government.

To a question on the reaction of the Congress party on the veiled threat issued by Shri Karunanidhi and that whether Shri Dayanidhi Maran should step down, Shri Singhvi said as far as the first question is concerned that is completely the questioner’s perception. He does not agree with it. There is no question of threat either veiled or unveiled. There is no question of perception which the questioner is seeking to project. We have already clarified that DMK and Congress are allies, as we speak, and unless that position changes, kindly do not speculate. As far as second part of the question is concerned, there is a position which is developing, there is an allegation and there is a repudiation of an allegation. These things are not solved by knee-jerk reactions. Let Mr. Maran clarify and deal with the issue and as and when the matters comes to the public domain, we will see but there is no question of taking decisions now or prejudging issues.

To this question when co-related with the IPO of Sun TV that they will invest in telecom sector Shri Singhvi further said that questioner is obviously reading a set of allegations from the press which have been published. These relate to Mr. Maran and his companies or companies controlled by his family supposedly. There is no question for us reacting on the merits of such allegations. You have to seek clarification from Mr. Maran. This is a developing situation unless and until facts, allegations, counter-allegations and repudiations are sorted out to some extent. There is no question of Congress party reacting to it.

To a question over the statement of Shri Nitin Gadkari on corruption issue, Shri Singhvi said he has said many times that the devil should not quote the scriptures which the BJP is doing again and again. They are the last power on earth who should preach to anyone on corruption. Let them tell the nation, even today, as we speak, you have a huge written documented charge sheet of over 1000 pages with a CD presented about their show-case model state of Gujarat which appears to be not ‘Gujarat gaurav’ but corrupt Gujarat. You have similar charge sheets in Karnataka and Uttarakhand. Let Mr. Gadkari point out one minimalist action of resignation, invitation to CBI, arrest or vacating a seat and then preach to us.

To a question of Nitish Kumar rejecting the questionnaire sent to him on Lokpal, Shri Singhvi said that this is ultimately between the BJP and its allies, if they preach from the pulpit about the Lokpal and corruption and one of their major allies ruling in a state rejects the Lokpal questionnaire, then I think the whole world and whole of India can draw its own conclusion as to how serious they are about corruption. Similarly, those who preach about Lokpal and then obstruct it and simultaneously practice the politics of gross corruption in Gujarat, Uttarakhand and Karnataka, then the hypocrisy at its worst. Shri Singhvi further said if you do not participate in decision making, then what right you have to criticize the action against corruption.




(Tom Vadakkan)
Secretary, AICC