NEW DELHI: Faced with a barrage of Congress criticism in Parliament over his remarks about developments within that party, Home Minister Indrajit Gupta ate a humble pie. Gupta Said he was sorry if an impression had been created that he was interfering in Congress matters. Gupta’s apology in ) both Houses of Parliament came after Congress MPs delivered a stinging rebuke to the minister, Challenging Gupta’s reported claim in Madras that Congress was under “compulsion” to support the United Front Government. Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha, Santosh Mohan Dev warned, “I can walk out with my members now.”

Issuing a stern warning against a repeat of the Gupta episode by any United Front minister, the Congress leader warned his party might be forced to take a decision “which may not be pleasant for him and his Government.” He said the Communist Party of India veteran might have been a good Opposition leader, “but as a Home Minister, he is a failure.” Gupta also faced criticism over his recent Remarks suggesting the Government might be considering reducing cooking gas prices. But the trust of the attack was over his remarks about the Congress.

In his turn, Gupta adopted a conciliatory approach. Apparently referring to his reported statement questioning P.V. Narasimha Rao’s future as Congress president following summons issued to him in the Lakhu bhai Pathak cheating case, the minister “categorically” denied he had tried to prejudge the outcome of the court proceedings. Gupta said he had no intention of interfering in Congress matters. “If such an impression has been created, for that I am sorry.” He said he did not want to create bad blood between him and “friends” in Congress. He made a similar statement in the Rajya Sabha.

The minister did not quite make clear what exactly, he had said on Rao’s fate after summons in the Lakhu bhai Pathak case, Ghuman Mal Lodha (BJP) tried to question Gupta on this, but Santosh Mohan Dev mollified by then came to the minister’s rescue. Dey said if a man of Gupta’s stature. Gupta also sought to underplay his remark about Congress party’s “compulsion” to support the United Front Government. He said the compulsion arose from their leader’s commitment to support only a secular government and not the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 17, 1996