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Vayalar Ravi hits out at Arjun Singh

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Vayalar Ravi came out strongly against Union Minister for Human Resource Development Arjun Singh’s criticism of the Congress high command on Saturday.

Mr. Ravi said Mr. Singh’s comments about decision-making in the party were quite unfortunate and little to do with facts. Mr. Singh had said that the party was in disarray for want of consultation in decision-making.

“I am surprised to see such a comment from a senior leader such as Mr. Arjun Singh. Every decision is taken in Delhi after a series of consultations with every leader in the party,” Mr. Ravi, who is also a member of the Congress Working Committee, said.

He said Mr. Singh’s remarks amounted to political blackmail. “I don’t know his game plan. We have to watch and see.”

Asked whether Mr. Singh was trying to split the Congress, Mr. Ravi said that he would not be able to do so as the party trusted the leadership of Sonia Gandhi. She had brought the Congress back to power. Mr. Singh’s claim that he had differed with Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi was a ‘colourful’ lie. “He is thinking that he can boost his image this way. However, he had little to do with Congress affairs at that time. He was only an Education Minister in Madhya Pradesh then under P.C. Sethi and had no access to the political hierarchy.”

Mr. Ravi noted that Mr. Singh now had representation in party bodies such as the Congress Working Committee and Election Committee. He also had access to Sonia Gandhi. Besides, Congress leaders were free to make suggestions in writing or otherwise to the high command. “We both are in the Working Committee. But Mr. Singh has rarely opened his mouth in the Committee.”

He added that it was unbecoming of a person holding important positions to make comments aimed at embarrassing the party. “I wish that Mr. Arjun Singh, as a senior Congress leader, should talk and behave in an exemplary manner.”

He said there were no differences between Mr. Singh and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Prime Minister had never stood in the way of ministries implementing approved policies.

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