Journalism of Courage
separate lines
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhis denouncement of the ordinance on convicted MPs and MLAs may not have pleased Union minister Jairam Ramesh much. Known to be a confidant of Rahul,Jairam is often seen sending sealed envelopes purportedly Rahuls speeches and inputs about politics and governance to 12,Tughlaq Lane (Rahuls residence). On Friday though,the Congress vice-president may have put a question mark on this perception. For,it was only on Thursday that Jairam had given an interview to a TV channel strongly supporting the ordinance that Rahul denounced the very next day.
RIPPLE EFFECT
WHILE there has been a political fallout over the sudden stand taken by Rahul Gandhi on the ordinance on convicted lawmakers,his strong position on the issue has also caused tremors both at the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the HRD Ministry. The ministrys relatively innocuous ordinance to restore the powers of AICTE is slated to be taken up at the next Cabinet meeting. With this ordinance in troubled waters,there is serious concern in the ministry that the Cabinet may just keep off another ordinance leaving the AICTE in a limbo.
ALL PRAISE
After Rahul Gandhis suggestion to tear up and throw out the ordinance,Congress leaders were falling over each other to back his line. For those who asked abt my silence on the ordinance,I replied that I had learned the hard way that speaking out of turn was not OK 4 Minister. But now that my party VP has broken ranks,Im delighted. Id declined numerous invitations to defend the ordinance. Let me say: RG is right, Shashi Tharoors tweet said. Another Congress leader Anil Shastri tweeted that with Rahuls condemnation of the ordinance,the GOI stand has become untenable and it must immediately withdraw it. Congresss ex-servicemen department secretary Praveen Davar came out with a press release,saying that the youth icon has won the hearts of millions of Indians.
BEFORE THE STORM
Before gatecrashing AICC general secretary Ajay Makens meet the press at the Press Club to denounce the controversial ordinance,Rahul Gandhi had held a review meeting of organisational work in Orissa and Jharkhand. He went around the AICC headquarters walking into rooms of office-bearers and chatting up with people – mostly ticket-seekers for the forthcoming Assembly elections in five states. One office-bearer said he barged into Makens room as well,but he was away at the press meet. He then walked to 10,Janpath – the Congress presidents residence which abuts the Congress headquarters and from there went to the Press Club.
