The party by, of and for the
family
Jayanthi
Natarajan’s explosive letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi complaining
about Rahul Gandhi’s interference in the functioning of the Union Environment
Ministry when she headed it has surprised many. Natarajan points out in her letter that Gandhi’s espousal of the
interests of tribals and fisherfolk was soon superseded by his advocacy of
industry: at a FICCI meeting, shortly after she was sacked as Minister, he
complained about delays in environmental clearances (something Ms. Natarajan
implies happened because of his interference), and promised there would be no
further bottlenecks. From time to
time, there were whispers in the party about similar interventions by Mr.
Gandhi,
There was a time
when Gandhi tore up a controversial ordinance on convicted lawmakers, as well
as the Representation of the People (Amendment) Bill that sought to replace it.
The Union Cabinet withdrew the ordinance
causing deep embarrassment to the then
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Differences on
policy issues exist in all political parties and governments: the proper way is
to settle these issues through internal debate, a practice the Congress has
abandoned long ago.
The key problem
for the Congress has been that while Gandhi was repeatedly entreated to join
the government in a Ministry of his choice, he stayed away, saying he preferred
to build the party. Ministerial
responsibility would have brought in its wake accountability, anathema to the
heir apparent. Rahul Gandhi's
minders evidently forgot to tell him to mind his own business and not interfere
in the workings of a ministry.
No self respecting
person or a person who loves democracy should take lying down like Jayanthi
took from a person who is not the Prime Minister. Selling loyalty for a
position has to end up in being insulted and used. She should have walked away
years ago when the Italian family took control of the Congress party
It was a strategy
of Congress to hide their first family from any responsibility to take
ownership of the corruption they did when they ruled. If everything worked out
it was because of direction of Gandhi clan. If anything went wrong, then others
were blamed, so they can wash their hands clean. Natarajan was an opportunist and so was Gandhi
family who ruled without accountability.
People like
Natarajan do harm to country by serving their masters through public resources
and not serving the country for which they joined politics and took oath while
getting ministerial responsibility. She followed the high command line without
thinking what was good for the country, without asking tough questions and any
sense of governance. Natarajan deviated from the oath of owing allegiance to
the Constitution of India, and instead she followed the instructions of
extra-constitutional authority.
She had once claimed
that she had full loyalty to first family of Congress. One should be loyal to
principles, not to a particular family. It is open fact that Congress exists
because of the "first" family. It is open secret that Sonia and Rahul
were controlling the government during the UPA regime. Since they appointed the
PM and ministers, it is natural that they wielded the power, and the government
was being run like family business. The question is how they used the power to
"interfere" - possibly amounting to corruption. This requires
thorough investigation.
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