Congress president disapproves invoking of NSA for cow slaughter in MP: Chidambaram
TNN | Feb 9, 2019, 04:44 IST
NEW DELHI: Former finance minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday expressed disapproval of the Madhya Pradesh government's decision to slap NSA for alleged cow slaughter, saying the party leadership has conveyed its reservations to the state leadership.
Speaking at the launch of his book "Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India", Chidambaram said Congress president Rahul Gandhi has pointed out the "mistake" to the party government in Bhopal.
Amid criticism of the MP government’s overzealousness, Chidambaram's comment brought out the unease in the Congress ranks over Kamal Nath regime's actions that have triggered a storm. The slapping of stringent NSA has been particularly upsetting for Congress leaders since the party had criticised BJP for such overreach.
Chidambaram also said the Ram Temple issue is about "faith" and Sabarimala is about "customs" and the two should not be mixed.
“Ram Temple is not an issue of customs, it is an issue of faith. While Sabarimala is a matter of customs which are opposed to modern constitutional values," the senior Congress minister said while replying to a question during the launch of his book.
The veteran Congress leader said Sabarimala is an issue on which one cannot take a firm view.
“I personally support SC judgement. But if millions of people think otherwise, who am I to tell them they are wrong? Party workers are expressing their view. How can I tell them not to take such a view?”
Former vice president Hamid Ansari was present. Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern UP Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra attended the book launch of the veteran Congress leader. Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Salman Khurshid, former union minister Dinesh Trivedi and Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev were also among those present.
Speaking at the launch of his book "Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India", Chidambaram said Congress president Rahul Gandhi has pointed out the "mistake" to the party government in Bhopal.
Amid criticism of the MP government’s overzealousness, Chidambaram's comment brought out the unease in the Congress ranks over Kamal Nath regime's actions that have triggered a storm. The slapping of stringent NSA has been particularly upsetting for Congress leaders since the party had criticised BJP for such overreach.
Chidambaram also said the Ram Temple issue is about "faith" and Sabarimala is about "customs" and the two should not be mixed.
“Ram Temple is not an issue of customs, it is an issue of faith. While Sabarimala is a matter of customs which are opposed to modern constitutional values," the senior Congress minister said while replying to a question during the launch of his book.
The veteran Congress leader said Sabarimala is an issue on which one cannot take a firm view.
“I personally support SC judgement. But if millions of people think otherwise, who am I to tell them they are wrong? Party workers are expressing their view. How can I tell them not to take such a view?”
Former vice president Hamid Ansari was present. Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern UP Priyanka Gandhi and her husband Robert Vadra attended the book launch of the veteran Congress leader. Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel and Salman Khurshid, former union minister Dinesh Trivedi and Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev were also among those present.
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