New Delhi:Taking excep-tion to party leader Janard-han Dwivedi’s praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Thursday hinted that disciplinary action could be taken against its senior-most general secretary. 69-year-old Dwivedi, however, contended that he had not praised Modi and he was being misquoted.
“What Dwivedi has said is totally opposite to the Congress’ idea of Indian-ness….The victory of Modi can by no stretch be the victory of Indian-ness,” Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken said at a press conference here. Slamming Dwivedi, who not long ago was the Chairman of the AICC Media department, Maken said that the party condemns his remarks in the strongest possible words.
If one sees the seven-month rule of Modi as the Prime Minister and the 2002 riots in Gujarat, when he was the Chief Minister, “Modi can never become the symbol of that Indian-ness,” said Maken, who is also the head of AICC Communication department. He said that in the last seven months of President’s rule in Delhi, which saw Modi government running the show, witnessed several incidents of violence including in Trilokpuri and Bawana.
“How can anyone be talked of as symbol of Indian-ness under whose leadership the national capital witnesses such incidents and whose Ministers speak objection-able language and not being proceeded against?” Maken said. Dwivedi’s remarks are being lapped up by BJP leaders in the midst of the keenly contested Delhi Assembly polls and has left the Congress red-faced. Replying to ques-tions, Maken made it clear that the top party leadership will soon decide on the disciplinary action against Dwivedi.
Later Dwivedi, however, contended that he never praised Modi. “I have never said Modi is a symbol of Indian-ness,” he said.
Asked whether Dwivedi’s remarks were indicative of friction with the party’s leadership, Maken said the remarks are not against any individual but against Congress’ ideology. Maken evaded questions whether the party had sought prior clarification from Dwivedi before condemning his remarks and hinting that action will be taken against him. Indica-ting that he has been talking to the media following green signal from the top, Maken, who is known to be close to party vice president Rahul Gandhi, said “Whatever I am saying is in my capacity as general secretary in charge of the communications department.”
Gandhi had also said “on the banks of the Ganga thousands of years ago, our sages proclaimed that the world is one family.” Addre-ssing the media separately, soon after the AICC briefing, Dwivedi suggested that he was a victim of improper understanding of what he had said and the intention behind his remarks. (PTI)
