KANPUR: Former Prime Minister and positional president of Samajwadi Januta Party, Chandra hekhar, speaking in defense of the controversial god man, Chandra swami, said “no person should be prosecuted or harassed just because someone is doubting his integrity or leveling all sorts of allegations against him.”

Speaking to media persons at We Bithoor Guest House, 20 km from Kanpur, the former Prime Minister known to be a close disciple of Chandraswami said, “I know: him: personally, he is so chickenhearted, he cannot kill a mosquite, let alone killaman,” adding almost as an afterthought that “all allegations should be investigated and CBI is doing its job, in this regard too.”

Castigating the media for “‘presenting slandering debased reports, as such news in the manner of tabloid and glossies, he said, “even the Jain Commission is taking cognizance of such baseless reports and holding absurd inquiries that bear little relevance to, the issue it is entrusted to probe.”

Remarking on the commission’s allowing Chandra swami to sit on a cushioned chair before deposing, he said that it was no departure from normal practice and he himself has been exempted from standing in the witness box, during several court appearances ‘on medical grounds.

Replying to a question on the state of Punjab after Beant Singh’s assassination, Chandra Shekhar, who during. His brief slot as a PM, was the first to take the bold initiative of withdrawing the armed troops from Punjab, categorically stated that he apprehends no relapse of militancy in the state. When reminded of KPS Gill’s statement that the repeal of TADA can cause a fresh spurt of violence, Chandra Shekhar said, “TADA is not the only means of fighting militancy, there are better ways of doing it.” Replying to another question, he said “the ISI activities are more operational in Kashmir, where the conditions are yet not conducive for the holding of elections.” He said he failed to understand how the Congress could think of holding elections, he said that “this state of mercurial politics and unstable governments likely to continue, until a new political agenda is created.” Citing the instance of the BJP crisis in Gujarat, he said, the new agenda should denounce emotive politicking on Casteism or religious fanatism.

Senior Janata Dal leader Ramksishan Hedge’s formula for forging an anti BJP alliance under Narsimha Rao’s leadership, he said has the inherent flaw of ‘negativism,” instead of the focus on the minimum needs of the common man. Making a dig at the fledging Mayawati government in UP, he said “she is ruling the state, in a manner her limited capabilities allow her to.” He said that any government that does not abide by the norms of decency in dealing with the bureaucracy and religious sentiments of a community is not functioning according to the democratic principles. Chandra Shekhar was here to address a seminar on naturopathy.

Article extracted from this publication >>  October 13, 1995