In J&K, PM decries dynasty rule

'Jaitley never used clout of politician father-in-law'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday revived the much-talked-about “damaad politics” after making an oblique comparison between Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in favour of the latter.

Modi said this in Jammu, where he went to attend the centenary celebrations of late Girdhari Lal Dogra, a former Congress stalwart who had become the member of parliament twice and served as the finance minister of Jammu and Kashmir for record 27 years.

Jaitley is the son-in-law of Dogra. “I’m very sure that Girdhari Lalji's judgement of character was very sharp, it shows in his choice of son-in-law,” the PM said this after going through a photo exhibition on the life of Dogra at general Zorawar Singh Auditorium in Jammu University.

Modi said Dogra had never promoted any member of his family in politics. He died in 1987, much before the rise of Jaitley in the BJP. He said Jaitley held on to his own political beliefs and never used his father-in-law's clout.

"Otherwise we all know what embarrassment sons-in-law can cause to their in-laws nowadays," the PM said, in what was perceived to be a dig at Vadra.

Deprecating untouchability in politics, PM Modi said the political legacy shouldn’t be divided and everyone who have served the country irrespective of their political beliefs.

Jaitley, who also spoke on the occasion, said his late father-in-law had cordial relations with people across the party lines like Sheikh Abdullah and Pandit Prem Nath Dogra (leader of the Praja Parishad).

Others who were present included Minister of State for PMO Jitendra Singh, State Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and former Union minister Karan Singh.

The PM's visit was intended to send a strong signal across the border after indiscriminate firing by Pakistan Rangers on Wednesday killed four persons, including a woman, along the border.

However, contrary to the speculations in a section of the media, the PM did not announce any  special financial package for the state which faced devastating floods last year.