Report
AICC
Diary
Price
Rise Untenable
1.9.2003
: Shri Abhishek Singhvi briefed the press.
Shri
Abhishek Singhvi said, that the price hike in petrol and
diesel is a serious body blow to the economy as a whole.
It has an adverse impact on the rural economy. The transport
sector is prejudicially affected and that will have a cascading
effect on the entire economy in every sector. It is obvious
that the Government has adopted a policy of avoiding and
evading Parliament since they have announced the hike immediately
after the monsoon session. Such tactics to circumvent the
elected representatives of the people especially on a matter
of prejudice to the common man, the agriculturist and various
sectors of the rural economy adds insult to injury. The
Congress Party condemns such anti -people initiatives.
Shri
Abhishek Singhvi also announced the completion of five years
of "Congress Sandesh". Congress President Smt.
Sonia Gandhi was presented with copies of "Sandesh".
Attacks
Condemned
3.9.2003
: Shri Abhishek Singhvi and Shri Sayed Sibte Razi briefed
the press.
Shri
Abhishek Singhvi informed about the sad demise of Shri Lahttan
Chaudhary, Ex PCC President Bihar. Shri Abhishek Singhvi
also informed that the Congress President has approved the
candidature of Shri Stalin Lingdo for the Laban constituency.
Shri Sayed Sibte Razi spoke on the increasing terrorist
attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country,
Congress Party condemns the loss of life and property being
caused by cross border terrorism funded and financed by
Pakistan.
Feelings
in Gujarat
5.9.2003
:Shri Anand Sharma and Shri Sayed Sibte Razi briefed the
press.
Shri
Sayed Sibte Razi on the occasion of the Teacher's day greeted
teachers on behalf of the Congress Party. Shri Anand Sharma
said that in Gujarat the feeling of insecurity and isolation
prevails among a sizable section of the community, which
feels persecuted and oppressed. Though it is the duty of
any Government sworn under the Constitution of India to
ensure that the due processes of law are fully respected
and no crime goes unpunished. Shri Narendra Modi's Government
has turned this upside down, the application before the
Supreme Court seeking an amendment of the earlier order,
which has directed the Government of Gujarat to ensure safety
and protection of all the witness to appear before the court
going on, in cases related with the carnage in Gujarat.
Rejection
of BJP
8.9.2003
: Shri Anand Sharma briefed the press.
Shri
Anand Sharma said that the clean sweep of the NSUI candidates
in the DUTA and DUSU elections, by the margin of victories
indicates the alienation both of the younger generation
and the intellectuals from the BJP government and its ideology.
It is also a rejection of the politics pursued by the Sangh
Parivar and its outfits. It is also a clear indication that
the younger generation is moving into directions, which
strengthens secular and progressive forces.
Raj
Dharma
12.9.2003
: Shri Jaipal Reddy and Shri Sayed Sibte Razi briefed the
press.
Shri
Jaipal Reddy said that the observation of the Supreme Court
today in connection with the Best Bakery Case amounts to
ringing and wide ranging indictment of the Gujarat Government
since its omissions and commissions. Which is also a resounding
confirmation of the grave charges leveled by National Human
Rights Commission about the deliberate subversion and perversion
of the rule of law by the rulers in Gujarat. The Supreme
Court described the appeal filed by Gujarat Government before
the high court as an eyewash. The Supreme Court also felt
that the prosecution and the Government colluded to sabotage
the case in the session's court. Above all the SC reminded
the Gujarat government of its gross failure in following
"Raj Dharam".
Outrageous
Stance
15.9.2003
: Shri Jaipal Reddy and Shri Anand Sharma briefed the press.
Shri
Jaipal Reddy said that the words are not adequate to condemn
the outrageous stance taken by the government of Israel
in threatening to exile or kill Mr. Yasser Arafat. This
is in contravention of all cannons of international conduct,
we warn Israel about the disastrous consequences growing
from such threats, Mr. Yasser Arafat is a democratically
elected head of the Palestinian state, being the leader
of the people of Palestine. We would call upon the government
of India to see that the government of Israel is completely
isolated on this issue in the community of the nations.
Historic
Judgement On BPCL and HPCL
17.9.2003
: Shri Abhishek Singhvi briefed the press.
Shri
Abhishek Singhvi said that the Supreme Court judgment is
truly "historic" _ and we are doing no more than
adopting Mr. Naik's words. Instead of moving Parliament
and not wasting the last one year, the government adopted
an obdurate and "know it all" attitude. It also
shows the Government's utter contempt for Parliament. The
HPCL judgment reminded the Government of what stared them
in the face - section 7 of the Act, which requires it to
remain a Government Company. The Government simply turned
a The Original Sin
20.9.2003
: Shri Jaipal Reddy, Shri Anand Sharma and Shri Sayed Sibte
Razi briefed the press.
Shri
Jaipal Reddy said that according to the consistent story
of the CBI, Mr. L K Advani was the prime instigator and
conspirator. Therefore a consolidated charge-sheet was filed
in the Lucknow session's court "Ayodhya Parkaran"
and charges were also framed and all this was done in 1997.
The Prime Minister committed the original sin when he took
Mr. Advani into his cabinet as the Home Minister. From the
time he became the Home Minister, Mr. Advani has lost no
time or opportunity to misuse his office to weaken this
case against him. We therefore demanded many a time both
in Parliament and outside, even for the last five years
and have had many debates on this issue; that Mr. Advani
should not be allowed to continue in the ministry. Now our
worst apprehensions have been proved with his discharge
by the Rai Bareilly court.
Unhealthy
Campaign
22.9.2003
: Shri Anand Sharma briefed the press.
Shri
Anand Sharma said it is very clear from the nature of campaign,
which has been unleashed by the BJP that the ground is slipping
under their feet. The Congress Party campaign is gathering
momentum and the mass contact drive in all these four states
has been receiving popular response. This makes us reassured
and confident of the victory of the Congress Party. The
process of the selection of the congress nominees has started
with the meetings of the state election committees. The
Pradesh Election Committees will be recommending the panel
of names to the Central Election Committee soon. The BJP
is frustrated because of the lack of response to its campaign
and they are despairing. Frustration is clearly reflected
in the nature of their campaign.
Pledge
Breached
24.9.2003
: Shri Jaipal Reddy, Anand Sharma and Shri. Sayed Sibte
Razi briefed the press.
Shri
Jaipal Reddy said that it may be recalled that this was
the day last year when Akshardham temple in Ahmedabad was
subjected to outrageous attack by a terrorist group. The
attack has not only resulted in desecration of the famous
temple but also in the massacre of many innocent devotees.
Following this attack, the leaders of BJP led government
in Delhi promised, in a customary fashion, that such deeds
would not be allowed to recur. The Prime Minister, Home
Minister and many others worthies were among those who pledged
publicly to this effect.
Shri
Jaipal Reddy said that we deeply regret to note that this
pledge has been honoured more in breach than in observance.
Chargesheet
by CBI
26.9.2003
: Shri Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi and Jaipal Reddy briefed the
press.
Shri
Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said it is really an unique sequence
that earlier while the Prime Minister went abroad, the CBI
filed a chargesheet in Rai-Bareilly Court on Ayodhya matters,
purposely omitting 120-B IPC against the accused who were
earlier prima-facie charged by a Special Court at Lucknow
on the plea of CBI. It is again when the Prime Minister
has gone abroad, the Rai-Bareilly Court pronouncement came
discharging the Deputy Prime Minister from all the charges,
on the 19th September 2003. We hold the Judiciary
in high esteem and therefore we are not commenting on the
pronouncement of Rai-Bareilly Court.
Irresponsible
Act
29.9.2003
: Shri Jaipal Reddy briefed the press.
Shri
Jaipal Reddy said that on Saturday our Defence Minister
Shri George Fernandes made a statement in Chandhigarh that
the line of control between India and Pakistan was not properly
demarcated after Shimla agreement. This in first place is
totally a false and a scandalous position. The line of control
was finalized after exhaustive surveys by the representatives
of the governments of Pakistan and India. After examining
all the maps, all the conceivable minute details this was
done in 1972 by Lt. General G S Bhargava and Lt. General
Abdul Hamed Khan. This is not a new position that Mr. George
Fernandes took in Chandhigarh. He broadly took the same
position in the parliament in the course of the no-confidence
motion debate, Shri Mani Shanker Aiyer contradicted this.
At Chandhigarh almost all the Indian experts have contradicted
the position taken by Mr. George Fernandes. His position
is such as to lend strength to the argument of the government
of Pakistan. No defence minister in last 30 years has made
such a statement. This damages the interest of the country,
this Defence Ministers is not only proving irresponsible
regarding the domestic politics but also in regards to sensitive
matters relating to border issues. We condemn this irresponsible
act of the Defence Minister.
-
Tom Vadakkan,
Media Secretary
