Press Briefing Wednesday, 29th December 2010

Shri Shakeel Ahmad addressed the media today.

Shri Shakeel Ahmad said that in the recently concluded plenary session of the Congress party, the Congress party has released a book on the history of Indian National Congress in the making of Indian nation. Today number of newspapers - both in Hindi and English - there are some news items or articles / excerpts from that book projecting that as if the Congress party is trying to demean late Shri Sanjay Gandhi. In that book itself, it is mentioned that late Shri Sanjay Gandhi was a leader of eminence, prominence & significance in the Congress party. What is mentioned in the book, which has been made the basis by certain newspapers, are some acts during the emergency period for which the leader of the Congress party late Smt. Indira Gandhi offered regret after emergency and this is history. This is written by a group of historians in consultation with the Congress leadership but in history we can't write goodie-goodie things. History is history and it should be looked at in that perspective only.

On the reaction of the Congress party over comparison of Smt. Sonia Gandhi with Mahatama Gandhi in that book, Shri Ahmad said I do not think so. I have not gone through that chapter because our attention was drawn to this episode by certain newspapers but I have not gone through the exact wording. What are the wordings, I can't say? But it is very natural that any Indian or for that matter and since now Mahatama Gandhi's birthday has been declared as 'International non-Violence Day' by the United Nations and is being celebrated throughout the world. So, by getting inspiration from the sacrifices of Mahatama Gandhi, it is natural for any Indian and if somebody sacrifices the post of Prime Minister, it reminds us of the bigger sacrifices. So it is not the comparison between the two. It was not the spirit of the book.

On the reaction of the Congress party over the writing in the said book that Shri Rahul Gandhi and Smt. Sonia Gandhi have both refused the government postings since they wanted to serve the nation, Shri Ahmad said since I have not gone through that chapter yet, it is not possible for me to comment on it. So, let me go through the said chapter, and then only I can say something on the same.

On the question whether the Indian National Congress completely endorses the said book, Shri Ahmad said, of course, the book was released by the Congress President and the Prime Minister. The Editor-in-Chief is Shri Pranab Mukherjee, who is the senior most leader of the party; Commerce Minister Shri Anand Sharma is the head of the Editorial Board. So the Congress party has released this book in its plenary session. So, it is a congress version. Whatever is contained in the book is Congress party's version.

On the reaction of the Congress party on all-party meeting on JPC issue on 2-G spectrum, Shri Ahmad said that we welcome the efforts on the part of any of the Presiding Officers of the Houses especially this time, we have heard, it is convened by the Speaker of Lok Sabha. As Presiding Officer, she is trying to solve the problem and find a way ahead.

On the question whether it is embarrassing for the Congress party that Shri Rosaiah is facing the land scam charges in Andhra Pradesh, Shri Ahmad said I do not know anything specific about this because it relates to a particular State.

On the question of the reaction of the Congress party over Prime Minister calling meeting of its senior-most leaders on Telengana issue and the Congress party's stand on the same, Shri Ahmad said that Congress party's stand is very consistent in this regard. We have said on a number of occasions that Congress is not against smaller states but as far as Telengana is concerned, the government has appointed Srikrishna Committee and its report will be submitted before the government and after going through the said report, the government and the party will take a stand on that. This is our consistent stand that we are not against smaller states including Telengana.

On another question whether Shri Pranab Mukherjee was 'summoned' at 10 Janpath in regard to the reports published in the book referred to in the suo-moto, Shri Ahmad said it is not appropriate to use the word 'summoned'. It is customary that consultations take place on some important matters with the senior leaders of the party and it is possible Shri Mukherjee has gone to 10 Janpath in connection with some important matter or it is possible that he was called by the Congress President in regard to some urgent important matter. The visit of Shri Mukhjeree at 10 Janpath should not be taken as a surprise for that matter.

On the reaction of the Congress party over the Chief Minister of West Bengal writing back to the Home Minister resulting in war of words between the two, Shri Ahmad said I have not seen and gone through letter from the Chief Minister of West Bengal but the Government of West Bengal is doing something which is smacking of double standard. On the one hand, they are opposing Salwa Judan in Chattisgarh and in West Bengal; they are supporting their armed cadres. So this is a sort of double standard and CPM should come clean on that. No one should perform the duties of the law enforcing agencies and at the same time we are not even in favour of Salwa Judan to take law in their own hands.

On the reaction of the Congress party over Chief Minister of West Bengal writing to the Union Home Minister that he is pushing forward the political agenda of Trinamool Congress, Shri Ahmad said this is for Shri Chidamabram or Ms. Mamata Banerjee to comment on that letter.

To another question whether there is any rift within the Congress party on the constitution of JPC on 2-G spectrum, Shri Ahmad said the stand of the Congress party on JPC is very consistent and clear. A constitutional committee - Public Accounts Committee - is already there. It is also like a JPC because members from different political parties are there. So, let PAC scrutinize the report and decide on the fate of 2-G spectrum issue. Shri Ahmad further said that Congress party, most likely, will participate in that meeting called by the Hon'ble Speaker of Lok Sabha and we do hope that other opposition parties will also participate and when some people sit together, there are bound to be discussions, which may lead to new openings. What is wrong in it?

On the reaction of the Congress party over establishing of a nuclear plant in Maharashtra, Shri Ahmad said we have gathered news from the media that a team of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee is visiting that site and meeting people. I do not know details and I am not a technical person to say whether a particular technology is useful or not. It is for the government to decide such issues.



Tom Vadakkan
Secretary, AICC