Fwd: "Sonia not at fault but those who brought her in politics"

["S Roy" <subyroy@mailcity.com>]

says Vithalrao Gadgil
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NOTE: Vithalrao Gadgil is (was?) a senior member of the Congress party.  He
has been a minister in the central cabinet under various Congress Prime
Ministers.  Until recently, he was the Spokesman for the Congress Party in
Delhi.


"Sonia not at fault but those who brought her in politics" says Vithalrao
Gadgil
Author:
Publication: Sakal (Marathi Daily)
Date: May 20, 2000

New Delhi, 19th May (Reporter) : Those leaders who forced Sonia Gandhi to
enter the politics and entrusted her a much more heavier responsibility than
she could shoulder are to be blamed and not Sonia Gandhi" opined Senior
Leader of Congress, Shri Vithalrao Gadgil.

Shri Gadgil expressed this opinion in an interview given to Jain TV. Sonia
Gandhi cannot be blamed for the present miserable condition of the Congress,
but those senior leaders including myself who forced her to enter politics
must be held responsible for it.  She was not eager to enter politics.  At
least,  personally she used to always say that she did not understand
politics neither did she have any knowledge about it.  But we thought that
she could be useful to bring the Congress back to power.  We expected that
she will attract not only the crowds but their votes also.  She therefore
cannot be blamed .  To expect much more that one's capacity is doing
injustice towards that person."

"In Western Management, there is a phrase -  'Peter's Principle' and it
means to expect from a person much more than his capacity. We forgot that
this principle is not only applicable in the science of management but in
politics too." said Shri Gadgil.  He further stated in this interview that
TINA (There Is No Alternative) factor is the  strongest point in favour of
Sonia Gandhi.   It is a stark reality that in Congress there is not a single
leader with wide acceptability among the people.

Saying that the Congress has failed to perform as a powerful opposition
party Gadgil added, "I accept that there is unhappiness and confusion in the
party to some extent.  And it has various reasons. There are even personal
reasons like not getting a ticket for Rajyasabha. Other reasons are of
intellectual or philosophical nature. In my view, Congress party is not
working as an effective opposition party but RSS is.  BJP is encountering
more opposition from Sangh than other parties.  To oppose to the party in
power, expose it on various counts and in the end, remove it from the power
is the duty of the opposition party.  But Congress is not doing it."

Expressing the need for the Congress to change with the times Gadgil stated,
"Everywhere in the world, all political parties have made changes in them
but the Congress is not prepared to change."

Gadgil also added that he will be retiring from active politics and is
hunting for a suitable accommodation in Delhi only.

Talking about rejuvenation of the Congress he said, " Rejuvenation of the
Congress is not possible till it continues to neglect Hindus. The Congress
can return to power when the Muslims will come to the Congress is a
fundamental premise of thinking in Congress.  But in reality, it is wrong.
Even in the Working Committee meeting, I had expressed this opinion that
even if all the minority communities would vote to Congress, they will make
a total of only 18 per cent. To survive,  the Congress requires   the votes
of 82 per cent Hindus. You cannot neglect the interests of Hindus in the
country where they are in majority.  I am speaking this only from the point
of view of elections and not with reference to secularism.  Congress cannot
get elected on the 18 per cent votes because the Hindus will think that
their interests are not looked after by the Congress."

"The Chief Minister of Orissa was changed immediately when a family was
killed.  But 36 Sikhs were killed in Kashmir and Congress did not utter a
word.",  he added.




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