Says didn’t buckle under pressure over pulling out senior Cong leader
NEW DELHI : The Congress on Thursday denied buckling under pressure of the opposition parties to pull out Kamal Nath as in-charge of the Punjab elections in view of the charges flying high against him for alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the capital.
Out of anguish over being targeted mischievously, Kamal Nath himself on his own volition wrote to Sonia Gandhi to relieve him from the responsibility to frustrate the mischievous attempts to target him to deflect what is happening in Punjab as he felt it would hurt the Congress interests in the elections, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said in reply to a question at a Press conference here.
He pointed out that Kamal Nath is the seniormost Parliamentarian and the party respects his sentiments to relieve him of the responsibility as his reputation was being tarnished through the perverse and mischievous allegations against him and that too after 32 years of the Nanavati Commission giving him the clean chit. “Right to reputation is equal to right to life as laid down by the Supreme Court,” he added.
Sharma laughed at the AAP and Akali leaders demanding a probe into Kamal Nath”s case that did not exist all these 32 years. He pointed out that Kamal Nath continues to be the AICC general secretary as appointed on Sunday and would continue to be the in-charge of Haryana affairs.
No decision has yet been taken on his successor, Sharma added even as the speculation was rife that 78-year-old Sheila Dikshit, who was Delhi’s chief minister for three consecutive terms, may be made the general secretary to look after Punjab.
There is also speculation that she may be made the PCC president in Uttar Pradesh as political strategist wants a Brahmin face to lead the party in the state assembly elections.
