NEW DELHI: Arun Nehru represents the selfish interests of the urban lobby and big business. So does that chap Arif? Gujral is a ‘wimp. Satapal Malik is a useless cheerleader. There are many others here who we would be better off without. But we carry them along as extra baggage, because Y.P. Singh does not have the political will—and the spine—to stand by what is right too soft on those intriguers and trouble makers.

This is what the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Devi Lal, has said about his senior ministerial colleagues in his latest interview to the Illustrated Weekly of India, He has not confined himself only to describing the Prime Minster Mr Vishwanath Pratap Singh as a “spineless” person, as has been widely reported earlier. He calls his ministerial colleagues ‘“‘nalayaks” who “will finish off this government”. He repeatedly calls Mr Arun Nehru “a fat chap” and an elephant who has eaten up part of the Bofors money. He himself, in his view, is a simple man.

Mr Devi Lal says the Prime Minister should not have taken ‘back the resignations of Arun Nehru, Arif Mohammad Khan, Satyapal Malik, and Inder Kumar Gujral. They are, he says, dangerous people and will let down V.P. Singh again at the next opportunity. You listen to me these people will again create a crisis”.

His other assertions are on his ministerial colleagues collectively.

What do you think the people of Darba Kalan want? Do you think they want Inder Gujral to become the Chief Minister of Haryana or Satyapal Malik. That elephant has eaten up part of the Bofors money and you say nothing about it. All you presswallahs keep quiet when the country is looted by the likes of Arun Nehru and Arif”

They will eat up this whole country while you press people will sit and watch.

Here, I am not counting V.P. Singh who has given his address is Allahabad. Tam not even counting your industry minister Ajit Singh son of Chandhurr Charan Singh or Bansi Lal who has given his address as Bhiwani I am not counting Nathu Ram Mirdha and Rao Birendra’s Singh even though we all know them as kisans. I am counting only those who have given village post offices as their address.

How many people have honour in his government? These fat bulles bore me. They have no base no following, no MPs, no MLAs, no supporters.

They know only how to play to the gallery how to manipulate the press make sly moves to checkmate each other and earn bagful of money from secret deals that they make, unfortunately no action is taken against them. If V.P. Singh allows me. I will teach them lesson or two.

I will expose the guilty, I will show V.P. Singh what kind of people he has in his cabinet.

During the interview, Mr Devi Lal alleges that certain ministers are making money from their ministries, Asked who was doing that he replies,

“That fat chap…Also, what’s his name, Arif Mohammad Khan? I have sent details to the Prime Minister. Who do you think took a large chunk of the Bofors money? The whole country knows who negotiated the Bofors deal for Rajiv Gandhi. They know who

Was behind the large number of scams that took place during the early years of the Rajiv regime.”

On Inder Kumar Gujral:

I told Gujral, where was your conscience when these chaps were looting the country? He had no answer. He just mumbled into the phone. The chap has not one MLA ‘or one councilor or even one Panchayat leader he can call his own and he signs to express solidarity with the fat man.

On Arun Nehru:

Devi Lal is a simple man. He stands by his friends, by political allies. You saw that his during the elections. Can you honestly say the same for Arun Nehru? He is already chatting up Rajiv Gandhi and trying to make a deal on the side, Should we trust a man like that?”

“I would never trust Gandhi or Nehru…their class interests are different from that of this government. Already Arun Nehru thinks he can become the next Prime Minister. Do you think he can get reelected to parliament if Devi Lal does not want it? Without V.P.Singh support, do you think he is anybody today?”

In 1955 do you know the Birla’s had a lobby 73 strong in the Lok Sabba? Today, we have created a situation where Birla has to enter parliament through the Rajya Sabha, and that too by paying Rs 2 corer to the Congress (I).

On the Bharatiya Janata Party:

“If you have the patience. I will show you the history of their treachery. Look at this constituency. Look at the votes polled. If this rebel candidate set up by the BJP—was not there, do you think the Congress chap could have won? He would have been mounced by over 2,5000 votes…you will find that the BJP has played a disruptionists role all through for their own petty gains.”

Article extracted from this publication >> August 3, 1990