Press Breifing Friday, 19th Feb 2010

Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media today.

Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that earlier from this podium I had occasion to mention that imitation is the best form of flattery. News report suggests that the BJP, without quite admitting it, is indulging in flattery by imitation except they are doing it while in the same breath ridiculing Congress Party. I am referring to the new found love for the dalits, their new declarations and love for the depressed classes. This is the same BJP which did not take any penal or punitive action against a senior member of its party Arun Shourie when he wrote a book demolishing several fundamental principles a great man like Ambedkar stood for. This is the party which recently has officially opposed the issue of reservation for converted dalits. I am only commenting on the hypocrisy. Recently their senior leader Mr. Joshi has categorically said that he opposes any reservation being granted for those who convert from the Hindu religion to any other religion. This is the party which believes and has always run with the hare and hunted with the hound. As the news report suggests they seem to say that when the Congress Party does it, it is photo opportunity, when the BJP does it, it is sincerity. What can be more hypocritical than this? I ask you, is it possible for the BJP to preach to anyone much less than the Congress Party on this subject? It is the Congress Party which has historically been the rainbow of coalitions for over 100 years and the backbone of that coalition was the dalits - whether 100 years, 80 years ago, 60 years or now. It is the Congress Party which has stood for Dalit Indian head of the State. It is the Congress Party which has the judiciary headed by a dalit. It is the Congress which has the first dalit woman speaker. It is the Congress which has in words, in action, in spirit and in letter stood for this concept, for this movement and we are not here to justify it or flaunt it. We are only commenting on the double-facedness and hypocrisy of the BJP which has done this for nothing else but cheap electoral gain and crude favour seeking for votes alone and we have absolutely no doubt that the intelligent and mature electorate of this country will reject it with a resounding rejection.

Shri Singhvi said that we now enter the longest Parliament session - budget session - and I want to, through you, draw the attention of the nation and in particular our other political party friends especially the opposition. Although we do tend to take our Democracy for granted, it requires ever- zealous and over-precious action and reminders to keep the flame of Democracy burning. In that process Parliament is the heart and soul of the democracy. It is the grand inquest of the nation. We have several important issues. The issues may be Government issues and there may be issues which do not suit the Government at all. I am only saying that this is the time and the place to discus them vigorously, objectively and fairly, but never disruptively. We will discuss Internal Security, Naxals, Terror and Pune. We should discuss Indo-Pak talks and we shall also discuss the humble Brinjal. We should discuss fertilizer pricing and we should discuss the price rise but the crucial word is 'discuss' and the discussion happens only if you do not have the other word 'disrupt'. We hope and trust that the opposition will remember that basic temple of democracy theme. We hope and trust the opposition will co-operate in the passage of legislative agenda which is rich and diverse. I am reminding you of the 11th Reservation Bill - a long pending promise - and also many others like the National Green Tribunal Bill; Communal Violence Bill, Mines and Mineral Research and Development Bill and some items which in fact have been passed by the Lok Sabha but could not be taken up in the last Rajya Sabha e.g. Commercial Division of the High Court. So you have part done legislative agenda, you have a full to-do legislative agenda and you have discussion topics. The crucial thing is that although we did better in the last few sessions in terms of less wastage of time and more productive interaction, we have to strive to make it even better and that striving must involve all sections of each House.

On the question of decisions taken in the yesterday's cabinet committee meeting with regard to hike in the urea price and subsidy on other products, Shri Singhvi said that the cabinet decision is unanimous. Factually and constitutionally India and the Indian cabinet speaks in unison. He further said that within the cabinet, we have free and frank discussion and have vigorous dissent and that is the essence of the democracy which we should have, but when a decision is taken in the cabinet. It is the decision of the Government of India. We have no hesitation in saying that what has ultimately emerged after a long detailed in-depth deliberative process is the win-win situation. Urea remains controlled and a modest 10% increase has happened after 8 years. More important is that the choice of farmer has significantly expanded. Previously the subsidy was available for only 15 controlled items. That meant that producers will produce only those 15 controlled items and there was no incentive to produce better fertilizer which is more effective and more efficient. Today the new policy gives subsidy according to the nutrient content and the nutrient quality of several fertilizers is much better today than in the old product. So now you will get subsidy according to the better nutrient content you are able to provide in the fertilizer. That will save us around Rs. 45,000 crore per year along with giving you better fertilizer and giving the farmers more choices. It is a win- win situation and it will ultimately translate into a very positive productive result for the Indian agriculture.

To another question related to the statement of Advani, Shri Singhvi said that Mr. Advani is again living in his dream world. He would wish for election every week because he wants a fresh opportunity every week as he is the perennial PM in waiting. He does not realize that even if we announce monthly elections, his dream of becoming the Prime Minister would never be fulfilled. As far as security issue is concerned, he has been unfair to the Union Home Minister and he has been doubly unfair because he himself was the Union Home Minister. He has used four or five very precise calibrated words. It is the policy which is yet to evolve. It will be subject to heavy and very precise restrictions in terms of identification and in terms of selection, separation and in terms of documentation. If you pass all those tests and you are able to come back to what is the Indian part of the Kashmir although the whole of Kashmir including POK by a parliamentary resolution remains India's. Mr. Advani should stop fishing in troubled waters and should look back on his own tenure as Union Home Minister which was marked by a series of unbelievably tragic terror incidents and by virtually no other innovative initiative.

Tom Vadakkan

Secretary, AICC