Posted by Dr. Gopal Unnikrishna Kurup
The then Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Kantilal Bhuria, in February 2010, received a letter from Congress party president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, offering some suggestions on the Forest Rights act then under formation and asking for his response. Bhuria did not respond with alacrity to this extra-governmental source of instructions and when he was bombarded with reminders, he finally in June responded negatively, not accepting the suggestions. The knave Minister who foolishly deluded himself that as minister he had the authority to take decisions in matters concerned with his portfolio, even in recommendations by the Madam, was soon to pay dearly for his gall to reject the 'recommendations'. In the Cabinet reshuffle the next month, Bhuria was unceremoniously sacked. In his place was appointed V Kishore Chandra Deo, who knowing what was required of him, promptly took on board the “suggestions” from on top, which eventually made it into law.
These happenings have been revealed from documents obtained under R.T.I. ( by Economic Times) which go to show to what extent Sonia Gandhi is involved in minutiae of policy matters and with what exertions she imposes her will in pushing them through the government and also punishing whoever offends her in the way. It also exposes to what mockery the prime Minister is reduced to and who really rules the roost. The R.T.I. documents also showed that in that year, Prime Minister got bombarded with 25 N.A.C.letters and individual Ministers with not less than 17 letters, all urging the recipients to toe her line. Although the letters are purported to be from NAC and signed by her as its chairperson everyone knows that they in fact embody Sonia's commandments couched in more civil form as "recommendations'.
All the revenue guzzling grandiose social security schemes are Sonia's flagship schemes designed to be populist even at the cost of national exchequer, and by riding on them to secure votes in elections. Whenever the next election is looming in the horizon, there is bound to be a flurry of such populist bills, and schemes, - only this time, the game had started much earlier. Food Security Bill is one such, toppling the budget and widening the fiscal deficit at a time when the nation can ill afford it.
National Advisory Council is nothing but Sonia Gandhi's backyard kitchen where such fast food items are cooked up. From the leafy bungalow, 2 Motil Lal Marg nestled inside the Lutyen's zone, the Council quietly operates under her matron-ship giving her an aura of tenability, and most conveniently, without accountability. Such arrangement affords her the escape facility to remain anonymous if things go awry and send her son and heir to throne, Rahul Gandhi to land on the scene with Jupiter's velocity and bomb out her own government, which had merely done what she had said, but now the wrong-doer before the people ( but mind you, not she).
Of course,it was from its pantry during UPA 1 that NREGA, RTI, Prevention of Domestic Violence and Forest Rights Bills were conceived. It did set the social political agenda of the UPA. It gave the UPA 1 a pro-poor image and edge, which ultimately won them the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. But then, NAC of UPA 1 was very different from NAC of UPA 2. There was a Common Minimum Programme and lot of committed people were in the body and the allies had a say. Allies monitored the suggestions. But now, none of the sort. ,NAC has turned in to solely an extra-constitutional body impacting the sovereignty of the decision-making process of the Union Cabinet. The PM has voice which he seldom uses, but no power -perhaps the reason why he seldom says anything.
The power behind the throne, the Super Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi, the resident behind the high walls of 10, Janpath is the ultimate authority who must be obeyed, but who hovers beyond all notions of accountability.
The Super Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi, the Congress Goddess.
The then Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Kantilal Bhuria, in February 2010, received a letter from Congress party president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, offering some suggestions on the Forest Rights act then under formation and asking for his response. Bhuria did not respond with alacrity to this extra-governmental source of instructions and when he was bombarded with reminders, he finally in June responded negatively, not accepting the suggestions. The knave Minister who foolishly deluded himself that as minister he had the authority to take decisions in matters concerned with his portfolio, even in recommendations by the Madam, was soon to pay dearly for his gall to reject the 'recommendations'. In the Cabinet reshuffle the next month, Bhuria was unceremoniously sacked. In his place was appointed V Kishore Chandra Deo, who knowing what was required of him, promptly took on board the “suggestions” from on top, which eventually made it into law.
These happenings have been revealed from documents obtained under R.T.I. ( by Economic Times) which go to show to what extent Sonia Gandhi is involved in minutiae of policy matters and with what exertions she imposes her will in pushing them through the government and also punishing whoever offends her in the way. It also exposes to what mockery the prime Minister is reduced to and who really rules the roost. The R.T.I. documents also showed that in that year, Prime Minister got bombarded with 25 N.A.C.letters and individual Ministers with not less than 17 letters, all urging the recipients to toe her line. Although the letters are purported to be from NAC and signed by her as its chairperson everyone knows that they in fact embody Sonia's commandments couched in more civil form as "recommendations'.
All the revenue guzzling grandiose social security schemes are Sonia's flagship schemes designed to be populist even at the cost of national exchequer, and by riding on them to secure votes in elections. Whenever the next election is looming in the horizon, there is bound to be a flurry of such populist bills, and schemes, - only this time, the game had started much earlier. Food Security Bill is one such, toppling the budget and widening the fiscal deficit at a time when the nation can ill afford it.
National Advisory Council is nothing but Sonia Gandhi's backyard kitchen where such fast food items are cooked up. From the leafy bungalow, 2 Motil Lal Marg nestled inside the Lutyen's zone, the Council quietly operates under her matron-ship giving her an aura of tenability, and most conveniently, without accountability. Such arrangement affords her the escape facility to remain anonymous if things go awry and send her son and heir to throne, Rahul Gandhi to land on the scene with Jupiter's velocity and bomb out her own government, which had merely done what she had said, but now the wrong-doer before the people ( but mind you, not she).
Of course,it was from its pantry during UPA 1 that NREGA, RTI, Prevention of Domestic Violence and Forest Rights Bills were conceived. It did set the social political agenda of the UPA. It gave the UPA 1 a pro-poor image and edge, which ultimately won them the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. But then, NAC of UPA 1 was very different from NAC of UPA 2. There was a Common Minimum Programme and lot of committed people were in the body and the allies had a say. Allies monitored the suggestions. But now, none of the sort. ,NAC has turned in to solely an extra-constitutional body impacting the sovereignty of the decision-making process of the Union Cabinet. The PM has voice which he seldom uses, but no power -perhaps the reason why he seldom says anything.
The power behind the throne, the Super Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi, the resident behind the high walls of 10, Janpath is the ultimate authority who must be obeyed, but who hovers beyond all notions of accountability.
