Ultimate loyalist, Arjun is sulking
Union HRD minister Arjun Singh, whose critical remarks about the process of decision-making within the Congress met with disapproval from the party on Friday, has added further to the controversy by raising questions about “loyalty” and how it is ...
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Union HRD minister Arjun Singh, whose critical remarks about the process of decision-making within the Congress met with disapproval from the party on Friday, has added further to the controversy by raising questions about ���loyalty��� and how it is evaluated in the Congress. Speaking at a function, to release a book of articles and speeches by him, the leader said ���loyalty��� was being evaluated in ���a very limited context��� nowadays.
The HRD minister, however, tempered what can be construed as further criticism of Congress president Sonia Gandhi���s style of functioning, by saying that the Nehru-Gandhi family had the ���best capability��� to know who is a ���loyalist��� and also to understand who only pretends to be one.
The comments come in the wake of his endorsement of Mr Rahul Gandhi for prime minister which led the Congress high command to issue a warning against ���sycophants��� sometime back. Making a brief speech at the release of the book, edited by Hindi writer Kanhaiyalal Nandan, Mr Singh said: ���Now-a-days the evaluation of loyalty is being done in a very limited context���.
The HRD minister hailed Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi at in his speech saying they never prevented him from airing his views during the Emergency of which he was not a supporter. He said since he was not a supporter of the Emergency, he was not included in the ministry at that time.
His remarks on loyalty followed his praise of Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi. He did not, however, refer to Ms Sonia Gandhi or party general secretary Rahul Gandhi at the release of ���Mohin Kahan Vishram��� (No Rest For Me). President Pratibha Patil, who released the book, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee were among those present at the function.
The leader, in his speech, said like truth begets truth, trust begets trust and added that till such time as there was no trust, life remained an incomplete affair. Talking of his 51 years in public life, he said he could not have carried on if he had failed to win the trust of Pandit Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Mother Teresa, the adivasis and backward people of Madhya Pradesh, the dacoits of the Chambal ravines, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal and the terrorists of Punjab. Both, Ms Patil and Mr Chatterjee hailed the contributions of Mr Singh in his various capacities including Union minister, Punjab governor and Madhya Pradesh chief minister. The Prime Minister did not speak.
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In an interview given in the book, Mr Singh has said that decision-making in Congress has ���fallen into a bit of disarray���. Reacting to the excerpts published in the media, the Congress rejected the remarks saying that Ms Gandhi held consultations on all issue both within the party as well as within the UPA coalition. ���We do not agree with it (Mr Singh���s comments). Congress president Sonia Gandhi has always been fair and transparent in holding consultations,��� party spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said. He, however, refused to directly comment on the book.Download
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