Congress rebuts Bibek Debroy’s charge that party wanted to vet his Gujarat report

NEW DELHI: Congress rebutted Niti Ayog member Bibek Debroy's statement that he left the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies over the Congress decision to politically vet its research after it ranked Gujarat high in one of its papers.

According to the papers released, Debroy quit RGICS in December 2005 when his two-year contract ended. He had intimated about his decision to leave in September, stating he wanted to give ample time to RGICS to find a replacement. Earlier on June 30, he had expressed his desire to quit on September 1 but the offer was rejected.

In between, RG Foundation issued a press release on July 12, rebutting media reports that studies of RGICS would in future be vetted by the executive committee of the Foundation, adding they "attach importance to preserving RGICS's independence and its freedom to express different points of view".

It added, "RGICS research work will continue to be guided by a Research Advisory Council which comprises eminent economists and experts, and that the Foundation's executive committee or chairperson would play no part in this process."

Congress veteran and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad reacted to Debroy's comment that he did not see any spike in intolerance. "He is part of that group. How can he see intolerance? He is part of BJP," he said.