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UPA ministers defend Manmohan Singh's legacy; lash out at junior Congress members

Last Updated 02 August 2020, 08:15 IST

Unrest within the Congress over criticism of the UPA government by a Rahul Gandhi confidant spilt out in the open with four former UPA ministers lashing out at attempts by young leaders to divide the party instead of uniting to fight the BJP.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma ticked off the young leaders within the organisation, saying Congressmen should be proud of the legacy of UPA-II and reminded them that “no party disowns or discredits its legacy.”

“Nobody expects the BJP to be charitable and give us credit but our own should respect and not forget,” the former Commerce Minister said after young leader Rajeev Satav claimed at an internal party meeting that the UPA-II led to the downfall of the Congress.

Satav’s remarks that Congress should introspect the reasons for electoral defeat should begin from UPA-II when the party’s decline began was seen as an attack on the leadership of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Satav made the remarks earlier this week during a meeting convened by Gandhi with Rajya Sabha members where Singh was also present.

Besides Sharma, former ministers Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari and Milind Deora strongly defended the legacy of the UPA government contending that it transformed India but fell victim to the “grand political conspiracy and a malicious disinformation campaign of the BJP”.

Tewari reminded the young brigade of the Congress that the BJP too was out of power from 2004 to 2014, but “not once did they ever blame Vajpayee or his government for their predicament”.

“In Congress, unfortunately, some ill-informed would rather take swipes at Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government than fight NDA/BJP. When unity is required, they divide,” Tewari, a former I&B Minister said.

Deora, once identified with Team Rahul, recalled the former Prime Minister’s remarks of history being kinder to him than the opposition before demitting office.

“Could he have ever imagined that some from his own party would dismiss his years of service to the nation & seek to destroy his legacy – that, too, in his presence,” Deora, a former Minister of Communications and Information Technology said.

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(Published 01 August 2020, 15:13 IST)

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