Press Breifing Monday, 22nd Feb 2010

Shri Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media today.

Shri Abhishek Singhvi said that today is the first day of Parliament in this year and of the Parliament's longest session and the first day is the President's address which is the statement by the Government of the day of its various programmes, policies and intention and the Government of the day is a Congress Party led UPA Government and is, therefore, very much a declaration of the Congress Party and the UPA's programmes, policies and intentions. It is a declaration for the year and for the full 5 years of elected governance. It is a declaration which is intended and especially at the beginning of the first year of a new Government in a sense last year, the budget session was before the election. It is in that sense setting of the tone, the tenor, the direction. the content and the momentum and the pace for the year and for the term and for both Executive work and legislative programmes. It shows our firm unequivocal resolve to deal with each burning issue of the day candidly, transparently and openly. They include diverse issues. They include price rise, food inflation, as you may call, terror and security, inclusive governance but the basic object is to discuss and to invite criticism and discussion of those issues which will propel India on a path to irreversible growth and progress to meet our goals for 2020 and for 2050.

Shri Singhvi said that I would like to submit on behalf of the Congress party that we are proud that our programme is unique. It is comprehensive and inclusive. You have before you the President?s address and its range is wide and all inclusive. We will deal with terror with the firmest of resolve and determination. That applies to external terror as well as international fermented terror or violence or other serious disturbance. Our resolve to beat the so-called economic crisis has already shown unprecedented results in comparison to other countries of the world. Our resolve to meet our commitments and promises is reflected in the Armed Forces Bill and the Tribunal and when you have all the statistics for NREGA, Electricity and Bharat Nirman, Housing and so on and so forth. The real point is that these are the programmes which are available for you to test us on, to examine us on and to question us on. These are not mere pious declarations but concrete specific statements with facts and figurers. It is the obligation of each Member of Parliament irrespective of political color and shade to strive to fulfill this agenda because ultimately this agenda is not political but for the people of India and it is our obligation and bounded duty to convert it into reality. If we fail, we not only fail ourselves, as India's

Apex Parliament but we fail the people of India.

On the question of price rise as contained in Para 7 of the President's address, Shri Singhvi said that the Government, through the President's address in Para 7 & 8 and Para 8 is the longer more detailed paragraph has laid down a complete set of resolves, determination, action and concrete measures. It is true and that is what is stated in Para 7 that when you have inclusive governance, you need to have Public Expenditure programmes of a massive and an unusual kind. It is also true that when you have massive Public Expenditure programme, you are bound to infuse monetary liquidity in the system. A certain amount of monetary liquidity leads to inflation but that is not the whole story. That is the beginning of the story and we are not deterred by the fact that in economics, we are not deterred that we will not do such inclusive programmes. The challenge is how to achieve these inclusive programmes and also how to maintain the deficit also to completely contain the food inflation and after that statement you find a substance in Para 8.

On a further question that there was no mention of Naxalism in the President's address, Shri Singhvi said that you are not correct. There is a general address on all forms of violence, terrorism, domestic and external; in particular, apart from mentioning Pune, there was a mention that Left Wing extremism continues to indulge in senseless violence as in their recent attacks in West Bengal where a large number of innocent lives have been lost. These cowardly acts strengthen our resolve to challenge posed by such violence. Our Government has also given a call to Left Wing extremists to abjure violence and come for talks.

On a further related question over the statement of Mamata Banerjee, Shri Singhvi said that it is a totally different question. You do not need to fish in troubled waters because the Government's decision is the decision announced by the Government of the day. Individual Ministers are entitled to their view and each view may be entitled to weight and respect but ultimately it becomes only a point of discussion. What emerges from the Cabinet as the final declaration is the policy of this Government. It is not the view, comment or opinion of any Minister. There could be different perceptions on this violence and indeed in a healthy democracy there ought to be and there are. Nobody is suggesting that clone like everybody is having the same view. We are very strongly telling you that the view of the Government is what comes out and that position remains unaltered as far as policy, implementation and policy declaration is concerned. You have a certain policy of dealing with naxal violence. It is the policy announced not only by the Home Ministers but others also. If anybody has a different view, it does not make any difference to that policy. In particular policy remains the same. We are going to be extremely firm, strong and determined but equally we are told that if you stop it as quickly as 72 hours, we are here to talk with you. That is the straight forward candid, unambiguous statement which holds the field and there is no reason for you to harper on individual statements.

On another question of climate change, Shri Singhvi said that you should be aware that there is not an occasion for the Congress party to respond. That could be an individual view for a person concerned. We do not agree that there is any change in the basic Government policy. It stands declared. It has been declared even after Copenhagen on the floor of the Parliament and I prefer to believe and stand only by that and not by what I read in the press.

On the question that there is no mention of Telengana in the President's address, Shri Singhvi said that on the contrary it is being shown in the priority list and it has gone on a path of commission.

On the question of the statement of BJP that they will not allow discussion on any other issue unless price rise is discussed, Shri Singhvi said that whether and in what sequence there will be a discussion is something for the Government to announce and you will have that decision either through the Parliamentary Affairs Minister or the Government. We are fully ready for discussion on anything under the sun within the rules of the House. Is it not a sterile or a futile controversy to insist that before a discussion on the President's address which is traditionally and conventionally an established rule of the House, you should have an item out of sequence. It does not really matter because neither Parliament nor the MPs are going to run away. So whether it is one day before or one day later, let it not be an excuse for obstruction or delay for the walkouts, for disruptions for boycotts.

Tom Vadakkan

Secretary, AICC