Jayanthi Natarajan quits Congress, blames Party and Rahul

NEW DELHI: Former UPA minister Jayanthi Natarajan has publicly revolted against the Gandhis. According to the sources, Natarajan wrote a lengthy letter to Congress leader Sonia Gandhi where she expressed her “mental agony” and “humiliation”.

Jayanti Natarajan also told that she would resign later on Friday from all party posts. In the letter to Sonia Gandhi, Natarajan says that her “entire career is ruined” and that the “sacred and venerable” legacy of her family also “stands in danger of being tarnished”.

Natarajan also reminds the high command that she is a “fourth generation Congress worker” before she begins the tale of her ordeal. Questioning her sudden removal as environment and forest minister from UPAII, Natarajan writes: “I want to place on record, that from December 20, 2013, until now, I have still not been told by you, why I was asked to resign from the council of ministers, nor have I ever been asked or given an opportunity to explain, if indeed I had committed any wrongdoing. On the other hand, the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh wrote a letter to me, accepting my resignation, in which he praised the excellent work I had done as minister, and what he termed my valuable contribution as minister.”

Taking a bold step she speaks up against Rahul: “The next day my resignation was headlines in the media, and all the initial reports correctly reported that I had stepped down for party work. By the afternoon, to my shock, I received information that persons from the office of Shri Rahul Gandhi were calling the media and planting stories that my resignation was NOT for party work.

My sources were impeccable, and I felt unease. Thereafter, the media was flooded with negative stories about me. The same day, namely, the day after I resigned, Shri Rahul Gandhi addressed a FICCI meeting of industrialists, where he made uncomplimentary references to delays in environmental clearances, and the adverse effects upon the economy, and assured the corporate world, that the party and government would henceforth ensure that there would be no delays, and bottlenecks for industry. After being alerted by the media, I saw the entire speech on YouTube. It was then that some in the media questioned me if I had been asked to resign immediately, to enable Shri Rahul Gandhi to address FICCI and the corporate world with the news of my resignation in the background.”

Natarajan further attacks Rahul in her letter saying that she wanted to visit Sonia Gandhi but was not let to do so. She writes: “You may wonder why I write to you now, which I have decided to do after 4 months of prayer and contemplation. I wish to record that I tried several times to meet Shri Rahul Gandhi and you, but was not given an appointment. During our last meeting, and only meeting after my resignation, you instructed me to avoid the media. Until today I have followed your instructions. Just two days ago, Shri Vasan left the Congress and formed his own party. It was only on the day before Shri Vasan left, that I received my first ever communication from AICC in the form of a telephone call from Shri Motilal Vora, who wanted to know what my stand was regarding Shri Vasan, and what my future course of action would be.

“Natarajan concludes her letter by saying that she was “humiliated for 11 months” and seeking an answer from the Congress high command on her said humiliation by the party and Rahul Gandhi.

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Source:Timesofindia

Jayanthi Natarajan