New Delhi: Again trying to calm things down, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said that Vice President Rahul Gandhi's remark has not undermined the Prime Minister's position.
Here is the transcript of an excerpt from the interview:
Pallavi Ghosh: The fact remains is that the BJP is attacking your government, your party and also Rahul Gandhi for actually doing a drama and undermining the position of the Prime Minister especially when he is abroad.
Kamal Nath: The BJP is doing a drama and the position of the Prime Minister has not been undermined at all. There are situations where there are divergences of views. There can be divergence of views and it is normal and healthy. So the Prime Minister is abroad. When he does come back he will review the situation. You know how many times the BJP in the last five years have asked for the Prime Minister's resignation. Every 2-3 months they are asking the Prime Minister's resignation they are asking for it in Parliament, they are asking for it outside Parliament. So this has become a standard practice.
The opposition has been demanding Manmohan Singh's resignation after Rahul Gandhi's outburst over the ordinance brought by the UPA government shielding convicted MPs and MLAs. However, both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul reassured the Prime Minister that he was still the king. Sources say Sonia called up Manmohan, who is in the US for the UNGA session, and told him that he was very important and there is no intention to undermine his position.
Even Rahul Gandhi tried to sound a conciliatory note after his explosive comments at a Congress press conference in New Delhi on Friday afternoon. The Congress Vice President issued a statement later and said that he has the highest regard for Manmohan Singh and he looks up to him for his wisdom.
"I realise that what I feel about the Ordinance is not in harmony with the Cabinet decision and the Core Group's view. I also know it would be exploited by our political opponents. You know that I have the highest respect for you and I look up to you for your wisdom. I have nothing but the greatest admiration for the manner in which you are providing leadership in extremely difficult circumstances. I hope you will understand the strength of my own conviction about this very controversial issue," Rahul said in a communication to the Prime Minister.
Rahul on Friday sudden appearance at a Congress press conference where party spokesperson Ajay Maken was defending the UPA Cabinet decision to clear an ordinance to save convicted legislators and his comments criticising the stand sent the government as well as his party into a tizzy.
Stung by Rahul's statement against the ordinance, the Prime Minister said that issues raised by him will be taken up for consideration by the Union Cabinet when he returns back to India. The Prime Minister issued a statement saying Rahul had written to him on the ordinance.
"The Ordinance cleared by the Cabinet pertaining to the Representation of the People Act has been a matter of much public debate. The Congress Vice-President has also written to me on the issue and also made a statement. The Government is seized of all these developments. The issues raised will be considered on my return to India after due deliberations in the Cabinet," the Prime Minister said in a statement.
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