Press
Briefing Monday, 4th October 2010
Smt.
Jayanthi Natarajan addressed the media today.
Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan said that she wanted to make a
statement about the ridiculous bankrupt BJP allegation
against the Congress Party which is so ridiculous and
laughable but since so many of you have carried reports,
we thought it was important to explain the facts. This
is the allegation that some website of the BJP has been
redirected to the Congress website. First of all, I
would like to say that it is clear that the BJP, at the
national level and at every other level, is totally
bankrupt, devoid of any agenda and desperate of
publicity since all attempts to function as a normal
reasonable political party has failed. That is perhaps
the reason why against all norms of political decency,
they have chosen to use intemperate language against the
Congress Party especially based upon false and patently
ridiculous allegations. First, the Congress Party, by no
stretchable imagination, can be deemed to be interested
in acquiring the identity of a failed non-existent
political entity. Second, our enquiries reveal that
bjp.com appears to be the domain of a
corporate entity called 'Bharat Journals & Publishers'
or 'Bharat Janta Publication' which existed long before.
The BJP has its own website. So complaint, if any,
should be lodged by this entity namely 'Bharat Journals
& Publishers'; and the BJP as a party, can be in no way
concerned with where the website of 'Bharat Journals &
Publishers' have been redirected before the BJP has made
a false claim at the national level that this is their
identity. It is not their identity. They have not even
cared to verify the facts. Third, if the BJP has any
issues about its identity or domain, it should make a
complaint to the Cyber Crime Unit. Clearly, the worry of
the BJP is basic to its very existence and has
translated into the desperate mission. We, therefore,
reject all the allegations of the BJP with contempt. We
have not yet received any notice from the BJP and we
suspect that this too was the publicity stunt because
there is no basis on which they should issue the notice.
However, if a notice is received, we will reply to it
suitably.
On the question of deliberations in the meeting with the
Election Commission today, Smt. Natarajan said that we
had very serious discussions about four issues and those
issues are (1) electronic voting machine regarding which
the Indian National Congress took a very strong
endorsement and a positive stand welcoming and
supporting the use of electronic voting machine with
whatever adaptations are required; (2) the ways and
means of controlling the money power in elections. We
recommended that the Election Commission take strong
measures and control use of money power in the
elections; (3) the issue of paid news and how it was a
menace to the conduct of free and fair election and (4)
the criminalization - how to prevent further
criminalization of the political system. These were the
four issues discussed. On most of the issues except the
electronic voting machine on which there was a little
bit of difference, the major national parties. All
agreed upon the basic issue and requested the Election
Commission to take very strong measures to ensure free
and fair election.
On the question whether any action is going to be taken
against Shri Abhishek Singhvi for appearing in a lottery
case against the interests of the Congress Party in
Kerala, Smt. Natarajan said that Shri Singhvi has
already withdrawn from the case and secondly the
Congress High Command is seized of the matter and has
taken note of all these issues and anything further will
be under the consideration and advice of the Congress
High Command. If any further developments occur, then
she will certainly share it with the media. At this
point of time, the Congress High Command has taken note
of the situation. However, in no way does it dilute our
position against the Left Government in Kerala. Our
allegations against them totally stand.
On another question of the speech of Suresh Kalmadi
during the opening ceremony of Commonwealth Games, Smt.
Natarajan said that the stand of the Congress Party has
always been that the games should be conducted with
great success as this is our status as super power and
emerging super power and show the world that we can also
conduct games or any other event as well or better than
any other super power. Secondly, it has always been our
stand that once the games are over; our stand has been
vindicated by the success of the opening ceremony and by
the peaceful conduct of the games which are going on, as
we see. Regarding corruption, any allegation of
corruption certainly will have to be looked into by the
proper authority and action taken against anybody who
has been proved to be corrupt.
To a question as to whether the Congress Party is
welcoming the statement of Shri Mani Shanker Aiyer, Smt.
Natarajan said that we are not welcoming anybody's
statement. We are a party and she does not know what he
has said.
To a question on the reaction of the Congress Party on
Ayodhya judgment, Smt. Natarajan said that congress
party has always taken a strong stand matter that this
is the matter that should be resolved by mutual
agreement and settlement by reconciliation failing which
we should abide by the judgment of the Court. The latest
judgment which has come is a part of the judicial
process which will undoubtedly culminate in Supreme
Court and in a Supreme Court judgment. However, we are
of the view that the judgment of the Allahabad High
Court in no way condones the demolition of the Babri
Masjid nor will be ever condoned or go along with
anybody's communal agenda or allow any communal agenda
to succeed as a result of this judgment or any other
action.
Tom Vadakkan
Secretary, AICC
