Congress leader Jairam Ramesh slams PM Modi’s ‘Team India’ vision

BENGALURU: Ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the eve of completion of one year in office by the BJP-led NDA government, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday contended that the leader’s vision to build ‘Team India’ was actually aimed at weakening the federal system as well as democratic institutions. Giving a new definition, Mr Ramesh said it stands for: M- Murderer, O- Of, D- Democratic, I-Institutions.

He told the media here: “Even though Mr Modi is claiming that states will be benefit through ‘Team India’ vision, it has not happened. In 2015-16, states would receive less funds from the Union government than that sanctioned in 2014-15. This is the realty.” Training his guns on Mr Modi, Mr Ramesh contended that though the leader got clear mandate, going by initiatives launched in the last one year, one could safely state that he was on a road to betray the mandate.

On Mr Modi’s foreign trips, Mr Ramesh quipped that the Prime Minister seems to have decided to go around the world in 80 days. “Congress is per se not opposed to the idea of the Prime Minister embarking on foreign trips, but our fundamental grouse is that Mr Modi should not try to settle domestic political scores on foreign soil. Instead he should focus on strengthening relations with whichever country he visits,” he added.

On the pre-poll promise of bringing back black money from foreign banks, Mr Ramesh charged that Mr Modi’s government was on the same page as that of the UPA-2. “Look at the replies given by both the finance ministers, Mr Jaitley or his predecessor, Mr Chidamabaram. Replies on bringing black money are identical in nature,” he added.

When asked why the Congress lost in 2014, Mr Ramesh admitted that three factors – a hyper-charged CAG, a super-active judiciary and a super-aggressive Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi—were responsible for the party’s debacle. “There’s no doubt that the latter was better funded to face polls. Therefore, we lost it,” he added.

Why modi has maintained silence on jaya case?

Demanding that the BJP should make clear its views on filing an appeal in the Supreme Court against the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate assets case, Mr Jairam Ramesh asked why Mr Modi has maintained silence on the issue.

“Those people who are asking the state (Congress) government (in Karnataka) to appeal I want to remind that the original petitioners are BJP leaders. Why are they using the Karnataka government to shoot? They are using the shoulders of the Karnataka government to shoot. What is Modi’s view on this? I would like to know. What does Arun Jaitley have to say on this? Of course, Subramanian Swamy is a senior member of BJP. Today, two BJP leaders were present in the swearing in-- Pon Radhakrishnan and L Ganesan. So, what is the BJP’s stand?,” he asked.

Ramesh takes dig at N. R. Narayana Murthy

Virtually ticking off Mr N. R. Narayana Murthy for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Jairam Ramesh dared all such personalities to pose questions on the “U” by the leader over promises made before assuming office in 2014. Mr Ramesh said, “Mr Murthy is entitled to his opinion. People are entitled to air their opinion as we are living in a free country.

But, I happen to disagree with Mr Murthy,” he said adding that Mr Modi has made a “U” turn on many critical issues including the Indo-US nuclear deal. “We are not denying that Mr Modi has got a clear mandate for five years. Criticism by us (Cong) does not mean that we are trying to subvert that mandate in any way,” he added.