AICC general secretary and communication department in-charge Ajay Maken speaks about Rahul Gandhi and the ordinance fiasco with The New Indian Express Editorial Director Prabhu Chawla during Teekhi Baat on IBN7. Excerpts:
Why doesn’t your leader speak, neither take stand on issues? The Prime Minister doesn’t do it. Neither Rahul Gandhi does it.
It is not so. Rahul Gandhi went to Pune recently. He had a meeting with editors there for one and a half hour. He spoke to editors in Ahmedabad, he spoke to people at India Club in Gujarat
When he comes before the press, he scolds his PM.
Does telling that ordinance is nonsense mean speaking against the PM? There are many ministers and people involved in the ordinance. It is the cabinet’s decision, after which it is sent to President. He said he does not want criminals to be in parliament or state assemblies.
Why didn’t he speak when bill was tabled in parliament?
He can speak any time. Bill was tabled in Rajya Sabha on September 30, but he is a member of the Lok Sabha. All parties took decision on this issue on August 13. Like in a press conference on September 27, I said that situations develop. When Rahulji put forth his opinion…it was passed by cabinet on Tuesday. On Saturday, Rahulji put forth his views.
Rahulji could have gone and met PM.
When could he have met the PM? After it (ordinance) was cleared by cabinet, PM immediately left for America. Prabhuji, this was a ticking time bomb, if Rahulji hadn’t spoken, then PM wouldn’t have said the place of his visit abroad, and President would have signed, then it would have been turned into law. And a lot many people could take benefit of that and remain Member of Parliament. The ordinance, which even the BJP had supported, did not pass. Now criminal MP’s are no more members of parliament.
Your 20 ministers in cabinet didn’t know that they are doing wrong...
All parties have okayed it. Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj have okayed it. Chidambaram saab said that Arun Jaitley agreed on the draft. This is a dual face, do tough talk with them on this issue. Kamal Nath, in a press conference on August 13 said that this is the decision and this is the format. Why didn’t BJP oppose them? Now, they are saying that they will go to the President. All parties agreed, Rahulji opposed it. The result is that the law was not made only due to Rahulji.
Do you want Rahul’s name to be announced as Prime Ministerial Candidate?
We want Rahul to become Prime Minister. He is our general, we are his soldiers.
For full text of this interview, go to www.newindianexpress.com