Headlines
Jayanthi Natarajan's allegations 'inspired' by BJP: Congress
New Delhi, Jan 30
The Congress Friday refuted
former union minister Jayanthi Natarajan's charge against its
vice-president Rahul Gandhi that he "interfered" in her work and said
her allegations seemed "inspired".
Addressing a press conference
here, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said Natarajan's "special
remarks" against Rahul Gandhi appear to be "inspired" by the BJP.
Singhvi
said there was no logic in Natarajan's charges. He said if she says
that she acted according to directives either from the Congress or
Gandhi, then why and what is she complaining about?
"You as a
Congress minister have to fulfil the party manifesto and to work towards
achieving what has been mentioned in it. Where is the contradiction,"
he said.
There was always a "party line", so what is she complaining for, Singhvi said.
Singhvi
also accused Natarajan of running an "image bachao andolan" (image
saving movement) and that her actions were inspired by the BJP, who
according to him were on "slippery ground" in the run-up to the assembly
election in Delhi.
"It is unfortunate that a person, who spent
four terms in parliament and held key positions without contesting
elections made allegations that are opportunistic in nature apart from
being untrue," he said.
On being asked why Natarajan was sacked
as union environment minister three months before the 2014 Lok Sabha
polls, Singhvi said there were "political reasons" and "her departure
was considered and discussed by the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and the
then prime minister Manmohan Singh".
Earlier in the day,
Natarajan resigned from the Congress, saying she "was being sidelined in
the party" and it was no longer the organisation that she had joined
long ago.