Press Briefing
Friday, 7th October 2011
Shri Manish
Tewari addressed the media today.
Shri Manish Tewari said the reports in the media
about the second letter which has been written
by Mrs. Shweta Bhatt to the Home Minister make
very disturbing reading. The description by Mrs.
Bhatt about the inhuman treatment that her
husband is being subjected to in custody is
customized to send the message to other people
and that message can be articulated in three
words ‘Don’t you dare’. What’s ironic is that
the substance of the issues which have led to
the arrest of Shri Sanjiv Bhatt are under
consideration of Hon‘ble Supreme Court of India.
In fact, if I recollect correctly, that on 29th
of July 2011, Hon’ble Supreme Court has issued
notice to the government of Gujarat on the
substance of this matter. Some of you, who are
familiar with NDA regime, will recall the
inhuman treatment which was meted out to the
promoters and journalists of Tehelka when they
dared carry out and exposed it which embarrassed
the then NDA government. Intolerance to the
criticism, the muscling of dissent is intrinsic
to the ‘DNA’ of BJP and the Gujarat government
has been trying to establish new benchmarks in
this field. It is important for all liberal and
progressive forces to really reflect on the
situation that has evolved and seriously think
whether the treatment which is being meted out
to Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt, does it indeed not
constitute an attack on the core values of
Indian democracy.
On the question of the reaction of the Congress
party over the custody death affair getting just
murkier in view of the fresh revelations from
the eye witness and how does the Congress party
respond to growing demand for the resignation of
both Omar and Farooq Abdullah and also tapping
of phone of journalists, Shri Tewari said there
is need to desegregate the pranks of this whole
issue. There is the question of death of a
gentleman which has taken place. There is
already a judicial enquiry which has been
ordered and I think it would be appropriate to
allow that enquiry to play itself out because it
is only through a process of enquiry and
investigation, would the truth ultimately
emerge.
Shri Tewari further said insofar as allegations
of phone tapping are concerned, I think it is
important to allow the government of J&K to
respond to it because invariably in a surcharged
atmosphere, you have allegations which fly thick
and fast and it becomes difficult to distinguish
the truth from the fiction.
On the question of whether the Congress party
has a desire for a rotational Chief Minister in
Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Tewari said you need to
have wider perspective whenever you need to
evaluate a political situation and the same
cannot be done by quoting an example. This is a
different issue and in the event of the congress
party reaching any conclusion, it will be made
known to the media.
To another question on the reaction of the
Congress party over the fact that Anna team has
reached Haryana and campaigning against the
Congress party, Shri Tewari said as far as
bye-election in Hissar is concerned, apart from
Congress party other political parties are also
contesting the said election. It has always been
the tradition of the Congress party to fight
every election with full sincerity and
gracefully accept the verdict of the electorate.
We will try this time also to win the trust of
the electorate in the bye-election.
To another question on the RTI, Shri Tewari said
I think there is very invigorating and a
vigorous debate on the RTI Act which is taking
place currently. There is an entire spectrum of
views which have been articulated on the
subject. There is absolutely no denying the fact
that the RTI has been an instrument of
empowering the people and has really
demonstrated its efficacy on the ground. Now
whether that efficacy has started infringing
upon the governance is something which, as I
stated earlier, certain Ministers and other
people have articulated an opinion and I think
we should allow this debate to play itself out
rather than try and second guess it or rather
than try and prematurely stop it by articulating
our own opinion. We would like to hear all sides
on this issue and after we have heard all sides,
if at all, any reaction is required, we will
respond to it.
On the question of reaction of the Congress
party over Mohan Bhagwat of RSS stating
yesterday at Nagpur that they were with Anna in
his movement, Shri Tewari said evident does not
need to be evidenced. Shri Anna Hazare himself
will be in a better position to answer this
question.
On the question that the Congress party has not
been able to oppose the Modi government in
Gujarat appropriately, Shri Tewari said you are
right that the BJP won the elections in 2002 and
2007 in Gujarat but it has to be seen how those
elections were won by polarizing the society and
by misleading the electorate. This fact is known
to everyone. Shri Tewari further said I don’t
deny the fact that winning elections does not
carry any importance. Winning elections carries
its own importance but it has to be seen how
results were achieved. The situation in Gujarat
is as complex as it was in 2002 and the real
test of the Gujarat government will be on the
day when the innocent people who were killed in
the riots in 2002 will get justice.
(Tom Vadakkan)
Secretary, AICC
