11-08-2005, 01:31 AM
Pioneer.com
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Natwar Trishanku; Govt in limbo </b>
Navin Upadhyay / New Delhi
Week-long drama exposes helplessness of PM----- The uproar over Volcker Committee's indictment of outgoing external affairs minister Natwar Singh has placed him in the preposterous position of a<b> jobless minister without portfolio</b>, but the week-long drama has once again exposed the infirmity and helplessness of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Â
<b>The fact remains that the Prime Minister could not either sack or compel Mr Singh to put in his papers, something desperately desired by Mr Manmohan Singh to save his face as 'Mr Clean' of Indian politics. </b> <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Even after a shadowy compromise was reached, the PMO had to issue a statement that Mr Singh has himself volunteered to step down as the External Affairs Minister, but this apparent act of graciousness was not reciprocated by Mr Natwar Singh who maintained his sullenness.
It is now an open secret that the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues were unanimous that Mr Natwar Singh should go after Congress' legal experts told the <b>Prime Minister that his continuation would be untenable in view of the allegation against him and his son and their links with Andy Sehgal, the man who deposited Rs 3.22 crore in Jordan National Bank as illegal surcharge.</b>
There are clear indications that the evidence recovered during the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at Hamdaan Exports offices and Andy Sehgal's interrogation by the ED further narrowed the Prime Minister's option. Clearly, the raids and Sehgal's interrogation on Sunday were timed to provide inputs to the Government to form its strategy. <b>The presence of Finance Minister P Chidambaram at the meeting when the Prime Minister called Mr Natwar Singh and persuaded him to resign with a face-saver, underlines the significance of the ED raid. Mr Chidambaram as the Finance Minister is overall boss of the ED.</b>
Incidentally, just three days ago, the Prime Minister forced RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav to direct Minister of State Jay Prakash Narain Yadav to resign from the Union Council of Ministers. In comparison to Mr Natwar Singh, Mr Yadav faced minor charges. Sources said that the Prime Minister told Mr Yadav that if the Minister did not resign, he would have second thoughts about campaigning in Bihar on Tuesday. It is a different matter that Mr Yadav had many legal options before him. Also hardly anyone in the country was so worked up about the continuation of Mr Yadav.
But not being able to have his way in removing a Minister of his own party, clearly shows that the Prime Minister's writ does not run as effectively as he would have liked. The failure of the Prime Minister to obtain Mr Singh's resignation will have serious implications in coalition politics and give leeway to his allies when a similar situation arises involving their own ministers.
Over the last four days, selective leaks from the Congress and the PMO have created an impression that both the Government and the party would like to see the back of Mr Natwar Singh. Even Mr Natwar Singh went around dropping hints in his media interactions that a section of the party leaders were against him. He conveyed his indignation against his party colleagues to even a senior Left leader.
The way the entire Natwar Singh episode has been handled both by the Congress and the Government does not bolster the image of Ms Sonia Gandhi either. The Congress president allowed the situation to drift the way she did in the case of change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leaders and the media were more eager to know the mind of Ms Gandhi than the signal coming from the PMO. <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Mrs Gandhi held a series of meeting with the PM and Mr Natwar Singh but could not ask him to quit. Why? That is the million-dollar question. The answer would await further disclosure.</span>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Vijak,
Answer to your question.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Natwar Trishanku; Govt in limbo </b>
Navin Upadhyay / New Delhi
Week-long drama exposes helplessness of PM----- The uproar over Volcker Committee's indictment of outgoing external affairs minister Natwar Singh has placed him in the preposterous position of a<b> jobless minister without portfolio</b>, but the week-long drama has once again exposed the infirmity and helplessness of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Â
<b>The fact remains that the Prime Minister could not either sack or compel Mr Singh to put in his papers, something desperately desired by Mr Manmohan Singh to save his face as 'Mr Clean' of Indian politics. </b> <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Even after a shadowy compromise was reached, the PMO had to issue a statement that Mr Singh has himself volunteered to step down as the External Affairs Minister, but this apparent act of graciousness was not reciprocated by Mr Natwar Singh who maintained his sullenness.
It is now an open secret that the Prime Minister and his cabinet colleagues were unanimous that Mr Natwar Singh should go after Congress' legal experts told the <b>Prime Minister that his continuation would be untenable in view of the allegation against him and his son and their links with Andy Sehgal, the man who deposited Rs 3.22 crore in Jordan National Bank as illegal surcharge.</b>
There are clear indications that the evidence recovered during the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at Hamdaan Exports offices and Andy Sehgal's interrogation by the ED further narrowed the Prime Minister's option. Clearly, the raids and Sehgal's interrogation on Sunday were timed to provide inputs to the Government to form its strategy. <b>The presence of Finance Minister P Chidambaram at the meeting when the Prime Minister called Mr Natwar Singh and persuaded him to resign with a face-saver, underlines the significance of the ED raid. Mr Chidambaram as the Finance Minister is overall boss of the ED.</b>
Incidentally, just three days ago, the Prime Minister forced RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav to direct Minister of State Jay Prakash Narain Yadav to resign from the Union Council of Ministers. In comparison to Mr Natwar Singh, Mr Yadav faced minor charges. Sources said that the Prime Minister told Mr Yadav that if the Minister did not resign, he would have second thoughts about campaigning in Bihar on Tuesday. It is a different matter that Mr Yadav had many legal options before him. Also hardly anyone in the country was so worked up about the continuation of Mr Yadav.
But not being able to have his way in removing a Minister of his own party, clearly shows that the Prime Minister's writ does not run as effectively as he would have liked. The failure of the Prime Minister to obtain Mr Singh's resignation will have serious implications in coalition politics and give leeway to his allies when a similar situation arises involving their own ministers.
Over the last four days, selective leaks from the Congress and the PMO have created an impression that both the Government and the party would like to see the back of Mr Natwar Singh. Even Mr Natwar Singh went around dropping hints in his media interactions that a section of the party leaders were against him. He conveyed his indignation against his party colleagues to even a senior Left leader.
The way the entire Natwar Singh episode has been handled both by the Congress and the Government does not bolster the image of Ms Sonia Gandhi either. The Congress president allowed the situation to drift the way she did in the case of change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress leaders and the media were more eager to know the mind of Ms Gandhi than the signal coming from the PMO. <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Mrs Gandhi held a series of meeting with the PM and Mr Natwar Singh but could not ask him to quit. Why? That is the million-dollar question. The answer would await further disclosure.</span>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Vijak,
Answer to your question.