A body blow to the Congress: With the Congress facing desertions in every major state, it was only a matter of time that Jayanthi Natarajan, former environment minister, who was unceremoniously evicted from the Union Cabinet on December 20, 2013, would hit back at the decaying party. Her letter of resignation, a tell-all tale of illegal, unconstitutional intrusion of the Congress top brass at either stifling or enabling clearances for a supposed quid pro quo, is a body blow to the party.
Her letter squarely pins the blame on Rahul Gandhi as the original progenitor of the policy paralysis which hobbled the UPA-2 and led to an unending spiral of ever reducing confidence in the government. Mr Gandhi’s speech at FICCI, a day after she was forced out of the environment ministry, was a complete reversal of the Congress’ earlier stance. The fact that signed files cleared by statutory regulatory authorities were flown to her Chennai residence or lost in the maze of Paryavaran Bhawan exemplified a sordid tale of crony capitalism and favouritism practiced by the Congress top leadership.
A severe counter-campaign by the Congress to further vilify Ms Natarajan, and shrug off their own dark deeds forcedMs Natarajan to say, “If my own party treats me so badly, why should I blame him? He was in Opposition. If Narendra Modi is talking of Jayanthi tax, let them investigate.” It’s a damning indictment that the Congress party is facing severe leadership crisis.
The question that needs an answer is whether the oath of secrecy taken by UPA Union ministers under the Constitution in Third Schedule “I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person or persons any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me as a minister for the Union except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as such minister” — was violated.
Coming on the heels of Sanjaya Baru’s expose, Ms Natarajan’s letter bomb confirms that ministers operated on remote control which was in the hands of the Congress’ supreme leadership. The Youth Congress’ vituperative protest at Ms Natarajan’s Chennai residence, aimed at stifling her voice, has further enraged people already aghast by the revelations.
After being electorally mauled at the polls since the general elections and facing further decimation, berating a Gandhi family loyalist like Ms Natarajan will not stop the Congress’ crisis of leadership. - Aijaz Ilmi is a BJP leader
One person doesn’t make a difference: Whenever the party is at a low, there are these fringe opportunist elements who often create unnecessary controversies to gain cheap publicity to help the communal forces. Jayanthi Natarajan, who had a long association with the Congress, very deliberately chose to raise the controversy when Delhi is going for an important and critical election.
Her timing of making such wild allegations clearly establishes that she is playing in the hands of communal forces, which our party has been opposing tooth and nail. She is such an opportunist that she forgot that whatever she is today is only because of the Congress. She was given a Rajya Sabha seat four times in 24 years by the party. She is not a mass leader. Her decision to quit the party is not going to affect our organisation. Rather, it is going to help us to clean our system of elements who are sympathisers of those who believe in dividing the country on caste and communal lines.
The Congress Party’s roots go back to 130 years. Just one person leaving such a huge organisation means nothing to us. Anyone, I mean any opportunist, who has left the Congress, stands nowhere. If she had genuine grievances and wanted redressal, she should have raised them at the appropriate forum within the party framework. But by going public with such wild allegations she has shown the mindset of people who only believe in politics of power. But our party has no place for people who are power hungry.
We are here to serve the poor and build a robust nation. Forget the Delhi polls, she is a non-entity even in her home state of Tamil Nadu. I am quite sure she will soon be joining those very forces she had been opposing all through her political life.
It is a good sign for any secular party that those who don’t believe in its ideology are leaving it on their own by making lame excuses. Our party takes its inspiration from leaders like Sonia Gandhiji and youth icons like Rahulji. We have a blend of experience and youth in our organisation. There is no room for any person who works against the spirit of the constitution of our party. You will soon see a resurgent Congress taking centrestage in national politics. History is witness to the fact that whenever we are down, we have emerged stronger. Just wait and watch. Delhi elections are going to be the beginning of the end of the Modi era.
(As told to Sanjay Kaw)
Chattar Singh is a Delhi Congress leader
