Press Briefing Wednesday, 29th June 2011

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan addressed the media today.

On the spate of questions on Prime Minister holding press conference where only five selected Editors of print media were invited and why was there no coverage of the same, Smt. Natarajan said it might be for the reason that the Hon'ble Prime Minister had held his press conference with the electronic channels only four months ago and for the rest of the questions, it would be better if the same are better addressed to the PMO.

Smt. Natarajan further said the Hon'ble Minister had shed clarity on large number of issues today which we welcome and as party's spokesperson, I would only like to add that he knows best when to meet the media and how best to address the nation.

On a related question whether the CWC had asked the Prime Minister to meet the media, Smt. Natarajan said I am not a member of the CWC and will not be able to share the internal discussions of the CWC assuming I had the knowledge.

On another question when will the Prime Minister meet the media in future, Smt. Natarajan said this is entirely a matter for the Hon'ble Prime Minister to decide? She will not be able to speak about his future plans regarding when he might meet the Press.

To a question as to the concern of the Congress party over the Prime Minister interacting with the senior editors on social, political and economic issues, Smt. Natarajan said that the Hon'ble Prime Minister has made it clear that he meets the Hon'ble Congress President every week and further added that there is no difference in their views.

Smt. Natarajan further added it is very clear that the Hon'ble Prime Minister has shown very clearly that the government is purposefully moving towards growth, ensuring the control of inflation and ensuring all welfare measures that we have promised in our manifesto and that we have promised upon assuming office again will be undertaken for the benefit of the people.

On another question on the reaction of the Congress party over the statement of the Prime Minister that he does not have any objection if the office of the Prime Minister is put under the ambit of Lokpal, Smt. Natarajan said that the Chairman of the Media Department of AICC Shri Janardan Dwivedi has already explained the stand of the Congress party that the we will support the view of the government on the issue. A consensus will be arrived at after all the parties offer their views on the issue.

To a further question on the reaction of the Congress party on the statement of the President of the BJP on Lokpal Bill, Smt. Natarajan said I would like to say that BJP President's press conferences and the issues of the BJP raised are very clear to the nation that they are never constructive issues. They are only engaged in destabilizing the institutions and in abusing people of which the BJP President himself is the prime example. However, she is not aware regarding what Hon'ble Prime Minister has said but certainly BJP is yet to spell out their stand regarding the inclusion of the Prime Minister in the Lokpal Bill. That is something the nation is not aware.

To another question on the reaction of the Congress party on the statement of the Prime Minister that the inflation rate will come down by March 2012, Smt. Natarajan said it is surprising to link the price rise with the scams. Since we import around 90% of the crude oil, it is natural international prices going up, it is imperative that it will have the impact on the domestic front also. However, the central government is taking appropriate necessary fiscal as well as administrative measures to provide relief to the consumers. State governments have been advised to provide relief by reducing the VAT. Some state governments like Maharashtra, West Bengal and even Tamil Nadu have reduced the VAT but governments of BJP-ruled states are not taking such action. To a great extent, inflation has been controlled and the efforts are on by the central government to arrest inflation further.

To another question on the statement of Shri Sharad Yadav of JD (U) that the government has not kept up its promises, Smt. Natarajan said she is not aware what promise was made that Shri Sharad Yadav is referring to.

On another whether it was a strategical move of the Prime Minister to isolate the civil society, Smt. Natarajan said really this is an unbelievable question because we are civil society, you are civil society. We have said time and again what are MPs; what is the Prime Minister, if not the civil society. He is the elected Prime Minister; he is the leader of the civil society.  
 

(Tom Vadakkan)
Secretary, AICC