Punjab Elections Gaining Heat

Can Sidhu take the plunge and swim safe to the shore?

As of today, the cricketer-turned-politician and recently an entertainer in comedy shows, Navjot Singh Sidhu has not as yet resigned from BJP though he did from Rajya Sabha for which he was nominated only three months back. Yet, the media has created a hype as if the BJP has lost the electoral cricket match slated in early next year which it was, otherwise, sure to win. It has already put him in the Aam Aadmi Party's kitty and anointed him as its chief ministerial candidate though the AAP anxious to catch a big fish from the other side has, so far, refrained from saying so. Note further. Sidhu too has, so far, not resigned from the Party though his wife has gone on record saying his quitting Rajya Sabha amounts to quitting party.

As is the wont with most of the media, it is only highlighting the huge losses the BJP, in its opinion, is sure to score in the next election with Sidhu campaigning against the Akali-BJP alliance in power for the last about one decade. It is totally ignoring the other side of the story, the negative one of Sidhu, only because that heightens its hype and adds to the sensation.

Needless to recall that Sidhu stands convicted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentenced to three years' jail besides a fine of Rs. One lakh. His appeal is pending in the Supreme Court. He could not have re-contested the 2009 election to Parliament from Amritsar had the eminent lawyer, Arun Jaitley, now Finance Minister in Narendra Modi led NDA government, not successfully pleaded before the court and succeeded in getting his sentence suspended. Sidhu had won in 2004 and repeated his victory in 2009.

It is also a fact that in the last elections to Punjab assembly in 2012 BJP's star campaigner Sidhu did not campaign for the Akali-BJP alliance because he had developed irreconcilable differences with those running the Akali Dal. He wanted the Party to sever the oldest alliance with Akali Dal. Yet it was voted into power with BJP winning a larger number of seats than last time. Yet, his wife was favoured with a ministerial berth in the new government. She too had an uneasy relationship with Akali Dal. She still continues in alliance government.

Sidhu had a perennial fight with Akali Dal holding the latter responsible for lack of development in his Amritsar constituency. On the other hand, Sidhu’s detractors charged him with ignoring the constituency at the cost of taking part in a programme that was popular with the name 'Laughter Challenge'.

In 2014 Parliament elections Sidhu was denied the nomination for the third time and Arun Jaitley was made the BJP candidate. Sidhu did not campaign for Jaitley whom he otherwise publicly accepted as his “mentor”. Even in the Modi wave Jaitley lost not for his own fault but for the sins of both Sidhu and Akali Dal.

Yet, Sidhu was made a Secretary of BJP at the national level. He still remained sulking, more active in Kapil's Comedy Show than in the discharge of his functions as a functionary of the party. The Kapil show did earn him hefty financial dividends  but these left him poor at the political level. In the elections which threw up BJP to power at the Centre for the first time, his showing at the campaign trail was few and far between.

BJP did try to keep the sulking Sidhu in good humour and continued to pamper him one way or the other. His nomination to Rajya Sabha, which he gladly accepted, was one such instance. In his first reaction after taking oath in April 2016, Sidhu said: “The present nomination by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is significant for me as he is a great role model for me”.  But he did not consult PM before resigning.

After quitting Rajya Sabha on July 18 he said: "At the behest of the honourable PM, I had accepted the Rajya Sabha nomination for the welfare of Punjab. With the closure of every window leading to Punjab the purpose stands defeated. It is now a mere burden. I prefer not to carry it”.

While media is agog with hunches that Sidhu was unhappy at the treatment meted out to him by the party and that he had been ignored for a ministerial berth in the expanded Modi Council of Ministers a fortnight back, he seems to be trying to plunge into the uncertainty of the next year's assembly elections to stage a Kejriwal in Punjab. Otherwise, his political future stands eclipsed. Whether Akali-BJP alliance scores a hat trick or loses power, he will stand to lose in both eventualities.

Even if AAP finally decides to launch him as its chief ministerial candidate, he is not likely to have a smooth sailing. It is fallacious to measure the success of Kapil's comedy show as the barometer for Sidhu's acceptance as a chief minister in Punjab where his political role for the last over five years has been minimal. TV shows can contribute enormously to a person's popularity and financial standing but it is a hard nut to crack in elections. If occasional jumlas and comedy gimmicks in TV shows were to do the trick in parliament or assembly elections, then Kapil should win hands down from any constituency in the country. But that is a false assumption. Raju Srivastava who regaled audiences in a greater measure than Sidhu had a bitter taste of this electoral reality. Raju contested the last UP assembly election on Samajwadi Party ticket. Raju lost while his party won the UP election and formed government.

Further, both Akali Dal and Congress are most likely to throw a gauntlet of challenge for him. Congress chief ministerial candidate may invite him to fight against him from Patiala, Sidhu's home district, to test his popularity. Likewise, Akali Dal may ask him to try his popularity either against the elder Badal or his son Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal. Accepting either of the two challenges from Congress or Akali Dal may boomerang and shying away paint him as a paper tiger. Needless to recall that Kajriwal did challenge the sitting Congress CM Sheila Dikshit in her own constituency in Delhi and did win. But Punjab is not Delhi and Sidhu is not Kejriwal. Can Sidhu take the plunge?                                                                                  (Antaryami)

Courtesy: Uday India weekly (English)

Mrs. Sonia Gandhi: No Indian by heart?

Mrs. Sonia Gandhi: No Indian by heart?

Media reports have it that both Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and her son Vice-President Rahul Gandhi have, so far, not congratulated BJP and Mr. Narendra Modi for their victory in the recent Lok Sabha elections. This is the least elementary courtesy expected of a vanquished leader and party in a democracy. All political leaders and parties have been following this practice in the past. Even Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh spoke to Mr. Modi and congratulated him. All what Mrs. Sonia Gandhi stated in her first Press meet on May 16 acknowledging defeat of Congress was that she wished well for the new government. Her son had kept silent.

What does all this indicate? Mrs. Sonia Gandhi's conduct is not in keeping with the Indian traditions and ethos. Mrs. Gandhi took a long period of about 12 years to seek and get Indian citizenship after her marriage to late Rajiv Gandhi. This only shows that even if Mrs. Gandhi has become a citizen of this great country, she has not so far become an Indian in her heart. She has not become one with the Indian way of life and culture. It looks only the label has changed and the person remains the same as before.

As far as our knowledge goes, this elementary courtesy is followed all over the world, at least in the democratic world and even in the country of her birth. The defeated leaders hail their opponent's victory and congratulate them.

It is pertinent to recall that when former President of India Giani Zail Singh died, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi had failed to pay her respects to the departed soul. She had refrained from visiting his residence and expressing her condolences. She seems to have not forgotten the bitter relations her husband late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had with President Zail Singh. But that behavior is un-Indian. We in India pay our tributes even to our enemy on his death and visit his/her home uninvited. What should the people of India construe from this behavior of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and her son?

Note: The results were declared on Friday, the 16th May. According to Press reports Mrs. Gandhi sent a congratulatory letter to Mr. Modi on Tuesday, the 20th May which was made public actually on Thursday, the May 22 after it was a talk of the town and the media of Mrs. Gandhi's courtesy lapse. 

SUNDAY SENTIMENT AAP trying to wriggle out of its electoral promises by not forming govt TRYING TO PUT CART BEFORE THE HORSE

SUNDAY SENTIMENT

AAP trying to wriggle out of its electoral promises by not forming govt

TRYING TO PUT CART BEFORE THE HORSE

The cat is out. As the new day rises it is now becoming increasingly clear that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal is trying to get out of his responsibility to form a government in Delhi.

BJP has won 32 seats including one by its ally Akali Dal. It is short of at least 4 MLAs to form a government and no other political group — the Congress and AAP) is forthcoming to support it. Therefore, even though BJP emerged as the single largest party after Delhi assembly elections, yet it lacks the requisite numbers for a stable government.

PUTTING CART BEFORE THE HORSE

It was, therefore, but natural that the Delhi Lt. Governor should call the next single party which has the numbers to cobble up a government. He called the AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for consultation on government formation. In the meantime, Congress wrote to the Lt. Governor that it would extend 'unconditional' support to AAP to form a stable government. With Congress support of 8 MLAs and two others, the AAP support in the assembly swells to 38 to give a stable government. But Mr. Kejriwal sought a 10-day time to decide on government formation.

But Mr. Kejriwal tried to put the cart before the horse by writing both to Congress and BJP seeking their support on 18 points, many of which were common and within the competence of the State government. Even BJP had said that it will extend constructive support to facilitate AAP government fulfill its election promises to the people.  

So far the history had been that a party with largest numbers sought the support of other smaller parties/groups by forming a post-election alliance or seeking support from outside. It was not the largest party which forced conditions for seeking their support but the smaller groups approached which haggled for more and more pound of flesh. This happened during the NDA rule from 1998-2004 and the UPA-I and UPA-II after 2004. In 1996 the then President invited the single largest party, BJP led by Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee to form a government. He did form one but failed to hoggle support from other political parties and groups with the result that he had to resign just after 13 days of the formation of government. It was the price for support from other parties that BJP from 1998-2004 period had to put its important planks of Ram Mandir, repeal of Article 370 and Common Civil Code for all in the cold storage. In the instant case, AAP is seeking support of other parties on its own terms.

Even otherwise, there are many issues in the election manifesto of AAP — 700 litres of water free to every consumer, reduction in the electricity rates, regularization of illegal colonies, creation of Lokpal or Lokayukta, Statehood for Delhi, protection of women — which no political party, be it Congress or BJP, can afford to put hurdles in AAP government implementing these promises. If any party does, it will cost very dearly to it in the eyes of the people.

AAP is making a funny demand. Both BJP and Congress should give, in writing, their support on all the 18 points raised by it. First, both Congress and BJP are going vocal on the electronic channels and in the media about their stand on these issues. They could be confronted any time if they changed stand by seeking the footage of their statements made to the media and electronic channels. Supposing if they give in writing too, are political agreements and statements enforceable through the courts?

The matter does not end with Congress and BJP elaborating their stand on these 18 points in writing. AAP says that after they receive commitment from these parties, they would go to the people to seek their opinion whether they should — or should not — form a government in the given circumstances. The people in whatever number have given their mandate to AAP, even if it falls short of the clear majority, to form a government. Moreover, what is the methodology AAP will exercise to gauge the real mood of the party on government formation? These are all diversionary tactics.

Slowly and steadily, AAP is emerging as a party that is trying to wriggle out of its commitment made to the people by adopting dilly-dallying tactics not to form a government.                                                                                                    ***

Tuesday Teaser KEJRIWAL IN HIS TRUE COLOURS

Tuesday Teaser

KEJRIWAL IN HIS TRUE COLOURS

As the date of polling for Delhi assembly elections is drawing near, the bubble of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal seems to be getting burst.

Kejriwal rose on the shoulders of the great social and anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare. He basked in the glory of Anna's anti-corruption campaign for Lokpal. It is he and some of his cronies who are responsible for turning the massive people's movement for Lokpal ultimately flounder.  

It is Arvind Kejriwal and his friends who, initially, smelt foul if politicians jumped on the Anna bandwagon to support the movement. They thought it will pollute it. It was he who had made certain political leaders leave the stage when they came to express their solidarity with the cause. He then claimed that he wanted to keep the campaign non-political.  But soon he staged a smart about-turn.  He decided to launch a political outfit of his own. It was this decision of his which ultimately sounded the death-knell of the movement that had sparked off a spontaneous and unprecedented support for the Anna campaign for which people of their own free will thronged in support; there was no leader to exhort them to do so. Finally, many like Mrs. Kiran Bedi deserted Kejriwal's boat because they smelt political opportunism in him.

Waterloo

The Anna movement met its waterloo when Kejriwal and party announced that they will campaign against the Congress and those against the Lokpal during assembly elections in four States of UP, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. But, for unexplained reasons, they failed to turn up in those States. That cost the Anna movement credibility, primarily because of him.

When Kejriwal launched the party, he was highly idealist and utopian. The party will not be headed by anyone; it will be the people who will guide its destiny, he said. It would be the people who will decide its course of politics. The money for the party too will come from the people, he declared.

He belied what he stated. A political organization without a leader is like a body without a head. Contrary to his declarations, he became its convener. How did it matter and placed it at a pedestal different than other parties. Every party has its own constitution. Parties like the BJP, Congress, Janata Dal, are headed by their president. Communist parties are headed by their general secretary. For all intents and purposes "convener" who is Arvind Kejriwal himself is the head of Aam Aadmi Party whatever may be his/her designation.

AAP no different

Programmes and policies of this AAP are being framed by Arvind Kejriwal and his group. Where is the aam aadmi in it? What is the difference between the process of evolution and formation of the programmes and policies of AAP and other political parties? Every political party claims its aims and objectives are those which reflect the hopes and aspirations of the people. So what is new in AAP?

Anna Hazare was against the conversion of his movement into a political body. He snapped all his ties and connections with Kejriwal and party. He announced that he will not campaign for AAP and also advised Kejriwal not to exploit his name to further his political ambitions. Deliberately, but indirectly, he did continue to use the Anna name during his electoral campaign. That is why Anna had ultimately to address a Press conference in which he made certain allegations against Kejriwal and AAP.

Congress B team

If Kejriwal thinks that he will dethrone Congress and crown himself with the office of the chief minister, he is not a realist and is living in a fool's paradise, day-dreaming. He is equally vain if he thinks that by jumping into the electoral arena in the Delhi assembly, he is harming Congress and its chief minister Mrs. Shiela Dixit against whom he is contesting. If not hundred percent, 80 percent votes he and his AAP receive will be the anti-Congress one. Thus where Congress was going to lose by a narrow margin of a few thousand, he is going to be instrumental in their win. Then, whom is Kejriwal helping?

Transparency where?

During the Anna movement and after formation of AAP, Kejriwal had been drumming up about transparency in his party. The `19 crores he has been able to collect for his party, including donations from abroad, is beyond comprehension. No political party or individual — not even renowned author Chetan Bhagat who floated a new political party and contested Parliament elections — can make such a boast because no new party in the past had been that lucky. If he wishes to make the people believe that the money he raised is through petty donations from the common people, he is befooling none else but his own self. Nobody is going to take him at his word, not even the aaam aadmi and people of his own party. Ms Mayawati has raised huge dumps of fortune and she too claimed that it was through small donations from people and party men.

To silence his critics, Kejriwal has said that if he was so enamelled of money he would not have quit his lucrative job. But his wife, his critics point out, is still there.

If Kejriwal and his AAP are so lucky to raise those huge dumps of money in their infancy in politics, it looks the trickle of donations may turn into an incessant drizzle once it wins some seats. What will happen, good god, if ever Kejriwal's AAP was voted into power in any State!                                         ***

Shining Strong and Steady Narinder Modi has virtually captured India's political horizon

Shining Strong and Steady

Narinder Modi

has virtually captured India's political horizon

When Gujarat Chief Minister Narinder Modi was, on September 13, anointed by the BJP President Shri Rajnath Singh as party's – and NDA's – prime ministerial candidate for 2014 elections, it was not something unexpected. People knew much earlier that ultimately he alone will emerge as BJP's Man Friday; all they had been waiting was for the formal words from the mouth of BJP President who had been hinting  at it since long. The declaration has only resulted in Mr. Modi painting the country's political horizon saffron – the colour auspicious and sacred as per Indian traditions. He has now arrived on the scene, made his presence felt and effect of his leadership ominous. He left an indelible mark on the minds and hearts of the six crore citizens of his State. He worked for the welfare and development of everyone irrespective of one's caste, creed and sex. This reality ignited in the minds of people all over the country that Mr. Modi is a man of action who means business and can do wonders for the country as he did for his State.

The glow of his work and the fragrance of his achievements were so sweet and strong that it transcended the boundaries of Gujarat to regale one and all in the country. It sparked the feeling: wish they too were one among the Gujaratis. For the captains of industry, Gujarat became a pilgrimage they must undertake to get the boon of having a pride address in this vibrant State.

The news had an instant electrifying effect. The day of announcement was also the day of polling in the Delhi University Student's Union elections. Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) campaign was already centred on Modi, his portraits dominating the posters and campaign material. The results joined the chorus of crackers that were burst to hail Mr. Modi being named PM candidate. ABVP won three posts of President, Vice-president and Secretary after a long interval.

Rewari (Haryana) rally on September 15 was planned much earlier. It turned out to be one of the greatest by any non-ruling party, particularly BJP which has not much presence in the State assembly at present. It attracted about 3 lakh strong cheering crowd. "Modi was the chant, Modi the speaker and Modi the leader", English daily put it. Those present vouchsafed for "his all encompassing appeal, charisma and star power".

The 25^th September Bhopal rally addressed by Mr. Modi as also Mr. L. K. Advani which besides Mr. Rajnath Singh, MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan and party's top national leadership turned out to be an epoch-making one. According to media reports, more than 7 lakh people participated and a team of the Guinnese Book of Records was there to record the greatest rally.

The post-anointment opinion polls have given BJP one-up in all the four States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi going to the polls in just another two-three months, although in Delhi it is reported to be not that much comfortable as elsewhere.

The Modi bang seems to have unnerved UPA. The day after former chief of army staff General V. K. Singh joined the Modi rally, an inquiry has been instituted by government against him obviously to browbeat the brave soldier. Further, CBI which had earlier taken the stand that it had "sufficient proof" against Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav suddenly found empty its bag of "sufficient evidence" against him in the DA case. The CBI has also become super-active in the Ishrat Jahan 'fake encounter' case to complete the assigned task before the nation goes in for Lok Sabha polls.

The daring decision by BJP chief Rajnath Singh has once again proved that BJP is a party with a difference. It has given a lie to the prophets of doom. It does possess full internal democracy where every leader and worker has a right to express his opinion freely and frankly but once the party comes to a collective conclusion it is a decision of one and all to be religiously respected. The decision on Mr. Modi has once again put a seal on this great characteristic of the party.

The Modi decision has also raised the stock of Mr. Rajnath Singh in the country. He has now come to be regarded as a man of mettle who can handle difficult situations in his stride and can weather all storms  remaining steadfast in his determination. In consultation with the top leadership he took a bold decision and the timing and implementation of the strategy too was his.  He came out with flying colours in the end. 

The catapult of Mr. Modi from the vibrant State of Gujarat to the national scene was the process of natural evolution as he consistently achieved the highest rate of GDP growth year after year despite the fact that the State had to pass through two unanticipated great disasters: the Kutch earthquake and the 2002 riots.  He made history by rebuilding the houses razed to the ground and rehabilitating in just one year the people and areas severely devastated.

He was quick to marshal the State police and the military strength to control of post-Godhara riots. Had he not acted in time the extend of carnage would have been much more heinous. It goes to his credit that hundreds of cases have been taken to their logical conclusion in courts after speedy investigations and hundreds have been punished, both high and low, irrespective of caste, creed and political affiliation. This stands in contrast to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots where more than double the number (compared to Gujarat riots) of Sikhs and Sikhs alone were butchered and that too only in Congress-ruled States. Those who were named by victims as the perpetrators of progrom against Sikhs were only Congress leaders yet none was hauled up immediately. On the contrary, they were prized and made party MPs and ministers. The bereaved families are still running pillar to post in search of justice which has eluded to more than 95 percent of families even after about 29 years.

Mr. Narendra Modi pulled Gujarat out of the debris of the two great tragedies in no time and turned it a model state of development in the country. He set the standards for others to follow. It was because of the fast growth in Gujarat and other BJP ruled States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar when BJP was part of the alliance, etc. which recorded a much higher rate of growth than the national average. Had the performance in these States not been that spectacular, country's GDP growth rate would have been much lower. The anti-Modi elements both in Congress, UPA and the so-called 'secular' front got a hard punch when Union government's own statistics showed that minorities, particularly the Muslims, had a much higher per capita income and led a much better life in Gujarat than in non-BJP States.

Because of Mr. Modi's wonders in his home State he became a household name all over the country. The more his detractors tried to run him down, the more he bounced forward with greater force. In the end he emerged the winner.

The more his political enemies tried to block his emergence on the national scene, the more space he started getting in the media. It was the controversies that his political foes generated to raise a scare about him that made him the doyen of the common man. The country witnessed the evolution of Mr. Narendra Modi as the voice and vision of the masses. He was not being imposed by the party bosses from above; he emerged as the choice of the people. "Modi lao" became the common refrain. He earned the support even of those who had, in the past, never supported BJP.

The messengers of doom had spread the scare that if Mr. Modi were made the PM candidate, a 1996 situation will arise when no 'secular' party was forthcoming to support to Vajpayee's NDA government. But within 10 days the BJP has received warming up signals from the Telugu Desam Party, Karnataka Janta Party of BS Yedyurappa and others.  

SHINDE OFFENCE PUSHES CONGRESS ON DEFENCE AND SAEED ON OFFENCE

SHINDE OFFENCE PUSHES CONGRESS ON DEFENCE AND SAEED ON OFFENCE

The greatest tragedy of our political system is that even when politicians come to occupy responsible posts in government, they forget their public duty and responsibility and continue to behave like politicians trying to garner brawny points over their political opponents.

During the last assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh continued with his oft-repeated allegations that the opposition State governments failed to utilize properly or fully the funds so graciously and generously sanctioned by the UPA government. In Himachal he alleged that BJP government failed to utilize Rs. 10 thousand crores sanctioned by his government. But when Himachal chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal challenged him to give details of the funds not utilized, the Prime Minister preferred to ignore him.

The Union government always tries to make the people believe that when it sanctions any money it is like a donation and not the right of the State. The fact of the matter is that the ruling party government sanctions money out of public exchequer and not out of party funds. Therefore, where is the generosity or favour? Moreover, these are the funds which have been contributed by the people at large and the States have their constitutional rights to get a share of these funds. Yet, the ruling parties try to earn political mileage by making such claims and allegations.

On January 20, 2013 the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde alleged at Jaipur (Rajasthan) where he had gone to attend the Congress chintan shivir that the BJP and the RSS ran training camps to promote ‘Hindu Terrorism’ and cited reports supporting his claim.

He said, ”After investigations, we have found that BJP and RSS training camps are promoting Hindu terrorism.”  

As everybody knows – and so does the home minister – this alleged act of "BJP and RSS training camps promoting Hindu terrorism" is a crime and, therefore, these organizations as also the individuals indulging in these acts should be brought to book. Why is the home minister failing in his duty to do so?

By not acting against these alleged 'criminal' acts of these organizations, the home minister is himself failing to perform his legal duty and discharge his constitutional functions.

Think before you speak. That is the golden principle. But Mr. Shinde ignored that sane advice. That is why his words have now boomeranged on him and the government. The UPA government has all along been asking the Pakistan government to act against Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, the Lakshar-e-Tayyebba chief, whom Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh addressed as "Saheb", the mastermind behind 26/11 Mumbai attacks and other terrorist crimes in India. Now Saeed has taken the thread out of Shinde's speech and said: "World should take note and declare India a state that is supporting terror on its soil after its home minister Shinde candidly confesses". Saeed went on to say that Indian organizations were "involved in all kinds of terrorism in Pakistan". He claimed: "India tried to involve us in the Mumbai attacks but after a passage of five years, nothing has been established against us in the courts". He went on further to demand  the Pakistan government to take steps to get India declared "a terrorist state" by the UN Security Council. ()

Pushed to the wall, the Congress had ultimately on January 22 evening to  distance itself from Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s controversial remark on Hindu terrorism, saying: “Terrorism should not be linked with any religion. Congress does not see any connect between terrorism and any religion. The party has earlier also made it clear that terror has no religion or colour. Congress never uses word like saffron terror or Hindu terror,” party general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi told reporters in Delhi

Asked why the Home Minister used the word “Hindu terrorism”, Mr. Dwivedi explained “that must not have been the intention of the Home Minister. No Congress leader can say such thing with intention. Sometimes it happens that some words come out of the mouth of an individual unintentionally.” (http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cong-distances-itself-from-shinde-remark/article4332793.ece)

But Dwivedi fails to explain whether a home minister can afford to be irresponsible from whose mouth some words come out "unintentionally".

Shinde also goes on record to be the only home minister for which the Congress had to turn apologetic a number of times.

It is time our governments keep the national interest supreme in their mind instead of trying to run down their opponents with unsubstantiated charges for political and electoral benefits.