Report

AICC DIARY

Callous Treatment

03.10.2005: Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media.

Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that most of us have seen the callous and humiliating treatment meted to the children yesterday at Kanpur. A time has come when we have to ask ourselves is there anyone accountable. This is an episode which reflects utter insensitivity in public life. Why were the children made to stand for six or more hours in this scorching heat? Obviously, because the utterly callous administration of UP wanted to pay obeisance to the uncrowned king of UP. Why were there no medical facilities available when van-load and ambulance-loads of medical personnel can accompany the VIPs of UP? Obviously, because children do not carry a vote. Children are voiceless and vote-less and obviously because the ruling party of UP does not see anything and is utterly insensitive to anything which does not carry vote. This is not a stray example alone, UP has some of the highest, perhaps the highest, infant mortality rate in India. During the recent encephalitis epidemic, the uncrowned kings of UP fiddled while the children burnt with fever.

Sonia Gandhi's Assurance

10.10.2005: : Shri Anand Sharma addressed the media.

Shri Anand Sharma said that it is a combined relief effort which is required in the face of this tragedy caused by the earthquake. Smt. Sonia Gandhi had yesterday visited the affected areas, not only Srinagar, but also Tandhar, Uri where she spoke to the people and on their urging they felt reassured when Smt. Gandhi gave a categorical commitment to do everything possible for their rehabilitation and also adequate relief support. The Members of Parliament of the Congress party have expressed a collective wish in response to Smt. Gandhi's assurance to contribute liberally from their MP LAD funds for the re-construction in Kupwara, Uri, Tandhar and the same shall be conveyed in writing to the presiding officers of both the Houses. The Congress-ruled states have also stepped in by contributing towards the relief effort and some offers have been made by Assam government and the government of Haryana and other states are following suit.

Party's Appeal

14.10.2005: Smt. Jayanti Natarajan addressed the media.

Smt. Jayanti Natarajan said that the Congress party has appealed to all partymen, Congress governments, to all sections of the party and the public to contribute generously to help in relief and rehabilitation of seriously-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir who have been affected very badly by the earthquake and by the serious weather conditions that is prevailing over there. The Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has desired that partymen and women all over the country to contribute generously to provide relief to the victims and all kinds of help, including monetary help, that is required by the suffering people in J&K and which should be immediately mobilised on a war-footing by the party all over the country.

BJP: Pasturing for Power

17.10.2005: : Shri Anand Sharma addressed the media.

Shri Anand Sharma said that the BJP is a party which remains in a state of disarray. Its leadership is increasingly sounding incoherent and bitter and it is very clear that the organisation, after the loss of power, is gripped with internal feud pasturing for power, ideological confusion and therefore is incapable of playing any meaningful role. At a time when they are struggling to find their relevance, the BJP leadership is making certain observations and claims to divert attention from the real issue. The party has not taken up any substantive or real issue and in Bihar where they are campaigning vigorously, some of their own senior leaders and including Shri Shatrughan Sinha has said that the BJP list is full of anti-social and criminal elements and therefore, he and many other leaders are disassociating from the campaign. We are not going into that but the real issue is that NDA when it was in power, we had throughout maintained that it was an opportunistic alliance which lacked commitment to the social sector and a large alliance which was dominated by BJP as a political party which in turn was merely a public face of the holding company, that is, the RSS and the situation remains unchanged. The sooner the BJP is able to resolve its dilemmas and come out of its present nest, perhaps it would be better for the party.

Dastardly Act

19.10.2005: Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media.

Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that we denounce and condemn in the strongest possible words the dastardly act yesterday in Jammu and Kashmir resulting in the death of Mr. Lone and of security personnel and injuries to others. Mr. Lone was a most capable and dynamic minister of the Congress-PDP Government. Unfortunately, it is the price we sometimes have to pay for democracy, for transparency, for accessibility. Our resolve to inaugurate a new era of peace and prosperity for the common man in Jammu and Kashmir and as you know the common man is most affected by the violence, shall not be deterred in any manner and we shall press on with renewed vigour and resolve. We believe that the inclusive and participatory approach of the Jammu and Kashmir Government involving all sections of society is the best panacea for the problems afflicting that state and we remain committed to it.

Divided House

19.10.2005: Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media.

Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that the BJP is a divided house, while the Gaur government is giving no `gaur' (attention) to governance issues in Madhya Pradesh. It appears that all sections of the BJP, inside and outside MP, are afflicted by Umatitis, are paralysed in this Umatitis. The political masters of Madhya Pradesh are divided into two camps and both are taking the state upon the path of destruction and mal-development. Meanwhile, neighbouring Rajasthan presents a similar divided house with a sitting minister being subjected to spying and surveillance activities by the chief minister of that state. One might well ask if a government minister is an appropriate candidate for survallience and spying, then why he was considered fit in the place to be made a minister.

Govinda's Link

21.10.2005: Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media.

Shri Singhvi said that we deprecate any attempt at sensationalism. We completely deny any insinuation or aspersion, specially by Mr. Amar Singh. I think we have to keep a sense of balance and perspective. The tape relates to events of 1991 and at that time. Mr. Govinda was not even in politics, leave aside being in Congress. The Congress owes absolutely no explanation for such a thing. Moreover, it is not anybody's case that Mr. Govinda has himself been found to be doing or committing any act or illegality or omission which is contrary to law. The fact that he was seen in the company as at that time several other stars were, we believe is no justification or casting aspersions in this matter and we do not accept any of the insinuation in this regard.

Failing Responsibility

24.10.2005: : Shri Anand Sharma addressed the media.

Shri Anand Sharma said that the recent incident of violence in Uttar Pradesh, first in Mau and now in Agra are the telling comment on the failure of the Uttar Pradesh administration which after Mau should have been alert to its responsibility to prevent any flare-up and also the division within the society. There are forces which are active and like to create disruption and division and it was expected of the Uttar Pradesh administration and the government to act firmly. It is their responsibility even now to identify the perpetrators to take pre-emptive measures so that those forces or elements which are active to vitiate the atmosphere do not succeed in their designs.

Bomb Blast Condemned

31.10.2005: : Shri Anand Sharma addressed the media.

Shri Anand Sharma said that the Congress party strongly condemns the serial bomb-blasts in Delhi on the eve of Diwali and Eid festivals, has caused nationwide outrage and grief. It is sad that the terrorists targetted innocent citizens causing large number of deaths and leaving hundreds maimed and injured. The Indian National Congress, strongly condemns this dastardly attack, which, is an affront to India and its people. Violence and hatred have no place in a civilized world. The forces of terror must be isolated and neutralized collectively by the International community. The people of India, shall not be overawed or defeated by terrorism. The Congress party stands with the resolve of every patriotic Indian to fight unitedly against terrorism of all kinds.

- Tom Vadakkan,
AICC Secretary