STATEMENT OF SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD, MP &
DEPUTY LEADER OF OPPOSITION, RAJYA SABHA
Rahul Gandhi interview – Command performance of evasion, lies and
unfortunately also of ignorance
It was the first formal interview of Rahul Gandhi in the last ten years. The country was eager to know what are his views on the entire image of India seriously getting dented, people suffering immensely and the entire growth story of India coming to a near halt. Yet when he spoke and faced searching questions it was nothing but a performance of evasion, which was amateurish, rank falsehood and unfortunately of rank ignorance. When confronted with questions on series of corruption from Adarsh scam to Coalgate and to many others he had only one reply of brining in the RTI. All these scams where happening inspite of RTI and because of rank collusion patronage and involvement of senior elements of his Government including the Prime Minister in the Coalgate and yet he had no answer. His claim that he has questioned the Government against all this sounds completely hollow because if by a mere public demand by him the gas cylinder can be increased from 9 to 12 surely any decisive intervention could have prevented loot of lacs of crore of public money in various scams. He could not even reply as to why no action has been taken by his own Government against Ashok Chavan or in view of serious allegations against Veerbhadra Singh, CM of Himachal Pradesh. Obviously he has no answer at all.
He talked of developing the manufacturing sector and unemployment without explaining as to why the Government led effectively by his mother himself and Dr. Manmohan Singh has almost destroyed the manufacturing sector by their gross mis-management and bad governance and seriously eroded employment opportunity in this country. His further claim that he want to change the system and make the process more open sounds almost laughable because people of the country are entitle to asked as to what he did in the last ten years when his own party has been ruling the country and brought the entire system in to serious disrepute. Rahul Gandhi it appears also forgot the history of his own family which has ruled the country for so long since independence (Jawahar Lal Nehru-17 years, Indira Gandhi-16 years, Rajiv Gandhi-5 years and finally the Government effectively led and controlled by Smt. Sonia Gandhi and himself – 10 years), in compromising the system and concentration of power. In this light his whole emphasis repeatedly on empowerment, decentralization almost looked like reducing it to slogans only.
His allegations against the Gujarat Government of encouraging the riots of 2002 not only shows his ignorance but also an attempt to indulge into rank falsehood. The Gujarat Government did it best to prevent riots and SIT constituted by the Supreme Court after extensive investigation found all the motivated allegations against Sh. Narendra Modi to be false and baseless, which has also been accepted by the Court. Today, there is peace and amity in Gujarat and many persons have been convicted and in case of many trials is going on. On the contrary the way in which he sought to defend the Congress Government in relation to 1984 riots is deeply condemnable. What has Rahul Gandhi to say on the famous statement of Rajiv Gandhi – “when big tree falls, the earth shakes” and the manner in which Congress leaders involved in the massacre where shielded by the Government and the investigating agencies which has compelled the courts to make adverse comments. He did not utter a word why it took so long to call the army in Delhi in 1984. Mr. Rahul Gandhi kept completely quiet on the recent communal violence in UP and also Assam.
Mr. Gandhi curiously talked against dynastic control and concentration of power. He totally forgot that the very rationale of his authority is his dynasty. On the contrary it can only happen in the BJP where a leader born in poverty and want like Narendra Modi can be projected as the PM candidate because of his integrity, hard work, extra ordinary record of governance and leadership qualities. Mr. Gandhi is aware of certain defeat hence the reluctance to contest as a PM Candidate of his party or even engage Sh. Modi in a debate.
When questioned about alliance with RJD whose leader has been convicted in a corruption case he curiously replied that it was an alliance with an idea but did not explain. Mr. Gandhi you totally forgot that the idea which that party represents is one of rank corruption, utter lawlessness and non-development which Bihar suffered so long.
It has to be stated unfortunately that in the entire interview Mr. Rahul Gandhi came as a leader unsure of himself displayed his inadequacies and also at times ignorance. Yet he was selective, keen to monopolies the claim for Lokpal and RTI legislations and evading the accountability of the ills of his Government. Mr. Rahul Gandhi rarely raised hope and in his first formal press interview he could not give any indication that he is indeed capable of creating any hope for the country.
(ER. ARUN KUMAR JAIN)
Office Secretary
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