Press
Briefing Friday, 4th February 2011
Smt.
Jayanthi Natarajan addressed the media today.
Smt. Jayanthi Natarjan said I wanted to make a reference
to the meeting which is being called by Shri Pranab
Mukherjee of all the opposition parties next week to try
and resolve the existing deadlock in parliament. The
entire winter session of parliament was a complete
wash-out and there was absolutely no legislative
business which was transacted. The stand of both the
sides is well known and our stand regarding the JPC
remains the same. However, it is clear that all the
agencies, investigative agencies and other agencies have
been carrying out their duties and their work. Progress
is being made in the investigation. The entire issue is
being monitored by the Hon’ble Supreme Court and hence
it is very important for us, as a mature polity, to
ensure that the budget session of parliament goes
through smoothly and very important legislation,
particularly the budget, is carried out. So, in the
forthcoming meeting, we would like to call upon all the
parties to come forward and cooperate and ensure that
some way can be found out of the deadlock so that the
budget session of parliament may be conducted smoothly
and all important issues and issues which agitate the
mind of the opposition, issues which are of vital
interest to the people of the country, legislative
business that needs to be passed by the government and
all important issues are discussed upon the floor of the
House. This is the appeal we would like to make and we
hope that from that meeting, the deadlock will be broken
and the parliamentary business will continue in a normal
routine way in the forthcoming budget session.
On the question that does it mean that the Congress
party is ready for JPC, Smt. Natarajan said that as
explained in the statement, our stand on JPC remains the
same. The Public Accounts Committee has all the powers
and the investigation is on in the PAC. Smt. Natarajan
said that we are ready for discussion on suggestions on
all issues like strengthening the PAC and to bring a
resolution on JPC and debate on the same in the
parliament will be discussed in the meeting. Smt.
Natarajan also added that we are open to discussing such
a resolution. If such a resolution is brought and the
government brings forward such a resolution, we will
certainly say that it should be voted upon. It is not a
question of softening our stand on the JPC. Our stand
remains the same.
On another question that the Congress party does not
have a majority in the Rajya Sabha, Smt. Natarajan said
that is a matter which has to be decided by the
Parliamentary Affairs Ministry and the senior leaders in
the government that in which house, it will be brought.
If a suggestion comes, we are ready for it. It is
already in the public domain. This is the reason why I
raised this issue is because I am calling for the spirit
of cooperation so that the deadlock can be broken.
On another question whether the Congress party will
support the resolution on the JPC in both the houses,
Smt. Natarajan said, No, we will discuss it and vote
upon it. Definitely, it will come up in both the houses
and further said she is not aware of the contour which
will be decided by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.
To a question on the statement of DMK yesterday in Tamil
Nadu, Smt. Natarajan said that the DMK is very clear and
they have always been clear about the issue of autonomy
for the State and for more powers in certain areas and
they have always cooperated with us at the Union
government and in the legislature in the Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha on all important national issues. I do not
see that there is any particular deviation from the
stand which has always been taken.
On a question that about 20-25 MLAs of Maharashtra
Assembly feel that some wrong has been done to Shri
Ashok Chavan, Smt. Natarajan said that she is not aware
of any such thing.
On the reaction of the Congress party on the statement
of the BJP doubting the integrity of the Central
government over the leaking of the report of SIT on
Gujarat riots, Smt. Natarajan said the BJP has always
been in the habit of finding faults with the Central
government. Attention should be paid as to what has been
mentioned in the report and what has been role of Mr.
Narendra Modi.
On another question on the reaction of the Congress
party on the statement of Shri Kapil Sibal when he took
the stand that there was zero loss to the exchequer on
the 2-G scam when compared to the claim of the CBI that
there has been loss to the tune of Rs. 22,000 crore,
Smt. Natarajan said Mr. Sibal is holding a press
conference as we speak. We stand exactly with what Mr.
Sibal said. The fact that the CAG report for which he
spoke, it could have been a notional loss whereas the
CBI has conducted this enquiry and has arrived at far
different amount what the CAG has arrived. I do not see
any inconsistency. On the contrary, it only proves that
the CBI is an autonomous agency which is doing its job
correctly and I also believe that the Minister will
speak for himself. I only speak for the party. It is the
job of the government to look into the issue and bring
out the correct facts and speak about what action has
been taken and that is what Mr. Sibal has done. We see
no inconsistency in these two actions.
On the question of the reaction of the Congress party on
DMK supporting Mr. Raja, Smt. Natarajan said that we
would like to reiterate what was said day before
yesterday by my colleague that law is taking its course
and notwithstanding all the doubts and cynicism
expressed by the opposition, the enquiry is proceeding,
action is being taken, something which has not been done
in any of the BJP ruled states not even the beginning of
an action being taken against anyone. With regard to
what the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has said, it is a
comment he has made about a member of his party, we have
no comment to make. As far as what the Prime Minister
has said and the UPA government stands for whatever
investigations are done, will be done properly. If there
is any wrong doing, the perpetrators will be brought to
book and this government stands for integrity and
transparency. Smt. Natarajan further said it will have
no bearing upon the success of the alliance, upon the
strength and the continuance of the alliance.
On a question over the remarks of the DMK that no one is
guilty unless proved, Smt. Natarajan said we also feel
that unless it is proved in the court, nobody should be
held guilty. Mr. Advani and Mr. George Fernandes were
also charge-sheeted. Even Mr. Yeddyuruppa has said that
he will not quit until the charges are proved. The
difference in political philosophy is that in our
government action is taken whereas in the NDA, action is
not taken.
On the reaction of the Congress party on the fact that
out of nine officers who were shortlisted for the
appointment of CVC, eight of them were charge-sheeted
and cleared by the CVC, Smt. Natarajan said this is a
technical question. The matter is subjudice in the
Hon’ble Supreme Court. Why the then existing CVC gave
clearance to the present CVC, these are all issues which
only government is competent to answer. I have no
knowledge why this is not done.
To a question on the chaos in the UP assembly, Smt.
Natarajan said we have repeatedly appealed from this
forum and elsewhere that Legislature, all over the
country, particularly at the highest level in
parliament, that there should be decorum and discipline
maintained by Legislature. We would like to call upon
all Legislatures to cooperate and maintain the dignity
of the House.
Tom Vadakkan
Secretary, AICC
