Press Breifing Monday, 16th Nov 2009

Shri Manish Tewari addressed the media today.

Shri Manish Tewari said that Shri Bal Thackrey's reaction to Shri Sachin Tendulkar's assertion of his Indian-ness is completely uncalled for, unwarranted and deserves to be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Though Shri Bal Thackrey's comments are not really worth the paper written on and we would not like to dignify them with the response or reaction from this podium but given the long term implications of such assertions, we have chosen to address them today. Political parties, who raise narrow identity based issues in order to satiate their political ambitions, insult the unity, diversity and the pluralism of India. They assault the very idea of India. Their idea, language and idiom belong to a path which the people of India have overwhelmingly repudiated and rejected repeatedly. It is not the language which an emerging world power or the leadership of an emerging world power speaks. Though it is not our business to advise any political party as to how they should run their politics but we would like to submit that worthy to raise issues which are connected with the everyday life of the people, they would fulfill their role as a constructive opposition better.

To a question of certain diary entries of Shri Madhu Koda having linkages of senior congress leaders, Shri Tewari said it is not my job to second guess an investigation and he is not going to lead you down the path of Hon'ble Supreme Court judgment on the Jain Hawala diaries because he does not think this is the Court of law. The former Chief Minister of Jhakhand is before the authorities that are the appropriate forum where he should reveal whatever he thinks is essential for him to reveal. We do not take it either as a threat or as any kind of black mail for the simple reason that this is the normal and natural reaction which anybody under investigation to intimidate the Investigating Officer resorts to. The matter is before the authorities, it is being investigated and if the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand has anything to say, he has the appropriate platform and the appropriate forum available.

To the question over the statement of the BJP that Congress party and the UPA should come clean on it, Shri Tewari said he thinks the Bhartiya Janata Party has no credentials to speak about corruption. The BJP's track record during the six years when they led the NDA coalition speaks for itself and the problem with the BJP is that it is a party which is desperately in search of issues and it tries to cling on to every perceived straw which it think comes in its way. The BJP is best advised that there is an investigation in progress which is being carried out both at the State as well as at the Centre by the UPA led dispensation. Therefore, he does not think there is anything more that the Government has to say insofar as its credentials in connection with zero tolerance on corruption are concerned.

Shri Tewari further said that if at all there is anything which needs to be said by anybody, it should be said to the investigative authority and the law of the land as laid by the Supreme Court under Article 141 is for everyone to follow.

To another question that General Secretary In-charge of Jharkhand has recommended the removal of Madhu Koda, Shri Tewari said that last Friday also when we announced the alliance, he had addressed this question. When we extend support to a political party, we extend it with the intention of ensuring stability, development, transparency and good governance in the State. If somebody chooses to abuse that mandate, or abuse the trust which the people reposed in him, then he faces the law and that is exactly what is happening to the former Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Therefore, his submission would be not to have two parallel trials a trial in the media and investigation before the appropriate authorities. Let the investigation reach its conclusion and then, whatever it is, would be presented by them in the charge sheet.

Shri Tewari further said that at various points in time, various people who look after States take or make an assessment but then a political call on that assessment is taken on an overall appreciation of the situation. So it is not a question of protecting 'A' or not protecting 'B', the question is that the Congress party had extended support with the intention that there would be good governance, transparency and development in Jharkhand and possibly at that point in time it was felt that a little more time should be given to the dispensation which is there to give on the support which had been extended to him.

On the question of reaction of the Congress party on Mulayam Singh Yadav and Kalyan Singh parting ways with each other, Shri Tewari said he has nothing to comment except it is a political bankruptcy, opportunism and a total disregard for secularism.

Tom Vadakkan

Secretary, AICC