Alva is her own enemy, she went too far: Moily

TICKET CHECKER: Moily insists Congress is the most transparent party in the country.

      

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Karan Thapar: Has the Congress party handled the Margaret Alva issue effectively or has it raised disturbing questions and perhaps even embarrassed itself? That's the key issue I shall explore today with the General Secretary of the Congress party Veerappa Moily. Mr Moily, has the Congress party acted judiciously in stripping Margaret Alva of her general secretary-ship and removing her from the CWC and the CEC or would you accept it that you have been unfair and unduly harsh?

Veerappa Moily: You know, it is a most unfortunate incident, we are not happy that she had to go. But it was kind of inevitable, particularly after the kind of statement she has given, which has breached the discipline of the party.

Karan Thapar: So you are saying to me that you have acted fairly?

Veerappa Moily: Yes, very fairly.

Karan Thapar: And you have not been harsh?

Veerappa Moily: No, never.

Karan Thapar: Let me tell you why I am questioning you. Your party first described this as an emotional outburst. Mani Shankar Aiyar has frequently had emotional outbursts where he has criticised the government's economic policy, where he has questioned the decision to hold Commonwealth Games in India. He has embarrassed the government so many times but no one has disciplined him. Pratap Rane in Mumbai has emotional outbursts every second day. He actually criticises the Prime Minister. No one questions him or disciplines him. Why single out Margaret Alva?

Veerappa Moily: You know, here the matter is more serious than that. It is actually the issue of questioning the issue of morality of the Congress party and very important colleagues of ours. You know, alleging the cash for seats is not a small issue.

Karan Thapar: Alright, you are saying that she brought up a moral issue, and also that she questioned the integrity of her colleagues. Now let me give you another example. In April, during the Karnataka elections when his grandson was denied a ticket, Jaffer Shareif publicly and repeatedly accused the Congress party of double standards. And he pointed his finger straight at Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the president of the Congress party. Not only did you not 'discipline' him, Sonia Gandhi even called him to Delhi and spent an whole hour appeasing him.

Veerappa Moily: Yeah, this is something more than that. Here is a case where she has made very specific allegations at her own colleagues and at the functioning of the Congress party itself.