'Regional parties important, but only Congress can challenge BJP': Sachin Pilot in Aap Ki Adalat
In the latest episode of Aap Ki Adalat, Congress leader Sachin Pilot spoke on the I.N.D.I.A alliance, his sweet and sour equation with ex-Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot and Opposition leaders boycotting Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
Aak Ki Adalat: In the wake of reports that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar may join BJP-led NDA soon, Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot has said, he is quite hopeful that seat sharing will be finalised "very soon".
Appearing in Rajat Sharma's 'Aap Ki Adalat' show, to be telecast tonight on India TV at 10 pm, Sachin Pilot was asked about Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee deciding to go it alone in West Bengal, Pilot replied: "Every regional party has its importance, whether it is Bengal, Maharashtra, Bihar or Punjab, but on national all-India level, if there is any party which can challenge BJP, it is Congress...We are ready for seat sharing, because we must win this election for democracy. Only a strong opposition can drive a democracy. Our alliance in INDIA is based on issues, and very soon we will settle all matters relating to seat sharing."
MORE EPISODES OF AAP KI ADALAT
Rajat Sharma: But there is very little time left, and neither the convenor nor the PM face has been decided?
Sachin Pilot: "It was decided at the beginning that we will not aspire for any top post. Who will take up which post will be decided at the right time. The first objective is: unity. This is not easy. There are so many parties from different backgrounds. Every party has different style of thinking. Occasionally, we do fight in meetings, but imagine, to bring all parties together in a big country and take them forward smoothly is not an easy task. But all the parties felt this (unity) was essential. The INDIA alliance was formed and I feel that if the alliance moves forward unitedly and strongly, we can give a good fight to NDA. Do not forget, old allies of NDA like Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena, JD-U have already left. If BJP now thinks it can win the election on its own strength, they will know what will happen in Lok Sabha election."
On Mamata Banerjee's remark that the Congress was being guided by the Left against which she fought for 34 years, Sachin Pilot replied: "I do not agree with her. Mamata Ji is a respected leader and she became chief minister of Bengal several times. She has a different structure in Bengal. In INDIA bloc there is equal participation of all. We are already discussing about seat sharing in Bengal. The result will come out soon. But our main objective in INDIA alliance is there. If you add the votes of all parties, it has got more than 60 per cent votes, and the NDA has got less than 35 per cent votes. It is the BJP which should be worried... if all constituents of INDIA alliance fight jointly, then anything can happen. That's why BJP is more worried about INDIA unity."
ADANI AND CONGRESS
On Adani group signing four agreements with the Congress government in Telangana for investing over Rs 12,400 crore in the face of repeated allegations by Rahul Gandhi that Modi government was unduly favouring the group, Sachin Pilot replied: "If any industrial group qualifies in bidding and invests in a state, any state government will welcome capital so that industries can provide jobs. There is nothing wrong in it, but if any government bypasses all rules and laws and gives away mines, power plants, airports, ports and railway to one or two persons, it is nation's property. The entire work should be transparent. What we say is, when there is possibility of doubts, please bring transparency.
Rajat Sharma: Your party's Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan signed investments with Adani group for Rs 25,000 crore.
Sachin Pilot: We say, let them invest Rs 1 lakh crore, but let there be competitive bidding and let them qualify. Nobody has any objection if rules and laws are followed and investments come in.
Rajat Sharma: Mr Gautam Adani came in Aap Ki Adalat. When I asked him about this, he said, I can account for each and everything. We got all through competitive bidding, there were no favours, but he felt why Rahul Ji had problems with him?
Sachin Pilot: This is not so. I think there were some issues where clarifications were not given. You and I know how bidding processes are managed.
Rajat Sharma: When there is Congress rule, they are not managed, but they are managed during BJP rule?
Sachin Pilot: We are taking about national level.
Rajat Sharma: There can't be double standards. For last nine years, you will abuse Adani and Ambani and then Congress governments will give them contracts?
Sachin Pilot: If any industrial group wants to work transparently, it should be allowed, whichever state it is. If something is done in a non-transparent manner, then there must be probe, even if it is a Congress government. I feel, there should be equal standards. If people feel that some irregularities took place, and there are cases in courts, or a report comes in, then we feel some wrong has taken place.
Rajat Sharma: You are finding it difficult to defend?
Sachin Pilot: "Not at all. During UPA rules, there used to be frequent allegations of crony capitalism. In the last 10 years, BJP government could not prove anything, whether it is 2G scam, CWG scam, and what not. Nothing has come forward till date. We say, you had been levelling allegations. If today, in your rule, if anybody raises questions, then reply. I cannot hold anyone guilty. You are the judges, I can only ask. While in opposition, if we ask questions, expel 150 MPs. If one asks questions, declare him as anti-national....If SEBI is investigating something and if somebody has filed a case in court, then the government must reply. The matter will end there, but to obfuscate and trying to drag the issue....This causes controversy."
ELECTORAL DEFEAT
On some Congress leaders saying that the party lost in Rajasthan assembly polls because of his quarrels with Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot replied: "We lost elections in three states and I am very much sad that we lost in MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan we had 200 seats and this time we won 70 seats. As far as the charge that the party lost because of me is concerned, let me explain. In 2013 our party won only 21 seats in. Was I responsible for that? It is very easy to make allegations. If we had won the election this time, what would they have said?...This time, all of us worked hard, but you know for the last 30 years, there is this five years for BJP, five years for Congress pattern. We said this time we will break this pattern. I accept there were some issues. All of us sat together, Kharge , Rahul Ji, me and others. Unfortunately, we could not convince the public. But let me tell you, our vote percentage did not go down. We got nearly 40 per cent vote which was 1.5 per cent less compared to BJP. It's not that we were washed out in the elections. Our morale is low, but wins and defeats take place...Even after BJP formed the government, we won the byelection (Karanpur) in which the BJP minister (Surendra Pal Singh) was defeated by the Congress candidate (Rupinder Singh Koonar) by nearly 12,000 votes. Within three weeks of the state assembly elections, the public defeated the BJP candidate who was already made the minister. All of us went there to campaign."
When Rajat Sharma reminded him that Ashok Gehlot as chief minister had once described him as "deshdrohi" (anti-national) and had filed a case against him, Sachin Pilot replied: "I think you will have to hold another Aap Ki Adalat for this, call him and ask this question. What he said or didn't say, this sedition case, all these developments that took place, there must have been some reason. Aise Toh Koi Bewafaa Nahin Hota (Nobody becomes unfaithful all of a sudden)..There must be some reason. Because of all these, we and our associates came to Delhi, placed our grievances and there were long discussions. Late Ahmed Patel Ji, he is no more, he tried to bring a solution, and then we moved ahead.
'Aap Ki Adalat' with Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot will be telecast tonight at 10 on India TV. Repeat telecasts of this show will be made on Sunday morning at 10 and on Sunday night at 10.