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I had more freedom during Emergency, says Arjun

I had more freedom during Emergency, says Arjun

Author: Pioneer News Service
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 10, 2008

Introduction: While comparing with current situation in Congress

After criticising the party's decision-making process, senior Congress leader and Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh on Friday kicked up yet another controversy by suggesting that there was more freedom of expression in the party when Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi were at the helm.

Starting with the regime of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru, Singh traced his relations with Indira Gandhi and also touched the declaration of Emergency, a very sensitive issue for which the former Prime Minister drew a lot of flak.

Singh said: "When Emergency was declared in 1975, I wasn't favourably disposed towards it. I agreed with the need for it but realised that there were several possibilities of its misuse. But neither Indiraji nor Sanjayji ever stopped me from expressing myself during Emergency." Comparing the freedom he enjoyed in those times with the current situation in the Congress, Singh said: "At present, the evaluation of loyalty is conducted in a very limited context."

Despite "differences of opinion" on Emergency between Sanjay Gandhi and himself, Singh said he (Sanjay) campaigned for him in Madhya Pradesh during the 1980 general elections. Singh was speaking at a book-release function of Mohin Kahan Vishram, a compilation by Kanhaiyalal Nanda of articles and interviews of the Minister. President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee were also present at the book-release function.

Singh, known for making powerful speeches dotted with double entendres, heaped a lot of praise on Indira Gandhi and Sanjay. He, however, did not mention former PM Rajiv Gandhi even once or pay the usual "sycophantic" tribute to Sonia and heir apparent Rahul -- a practice common to all Congressmen. Singh said: "The Nehru-Gandhi family has a great capacity to identify who is a loyalist and who is only a pretender."

Meanwhile, Singh's remarks that decision-making in the Congress has "fallen into a bit of disarray" were rejected by the party on Friday. All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said: "We do not agree with it (his remarks). Congress president Sonia Gandhi has always been fair and transparent in holding consultations." He said that consultations were held at every level in the party before taking decisions and the party president also held discussions with the UPA allies.

"Singh is also a member of the Congress Working Committee, in which party leaders can raise whatever issue they want to and can have a free and frank discussion," Ahmed added.

Maintaining that the Congress had always had a tradition of holding discussions within the party, he denied suggestions that the leadership had any lack of communication or trust deficit with any leader. To a question that CWC meetings were generally being held for obituary references, Ahmed claimed that there were regular meetings of the apex policy-making body of the party.


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