Snubbing senior party leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi for his attack on Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar over handling of the drought situation, Congress on Thursday asked partymen "not to express their personal views in public".
Distancing the party from Chaturvedi's remarks, AICC media department chairman Janardan Dwivedi said, "Whatever the party had to say on the drought situation and other related issues, it has said through the CWC resolution.
"Whatever party would like to say in the future, it would say it officially. So far as expressing personal views are concerned, it advises all Congressmen not to express their so called personal views in public or through the media," Dwivedi said in a clear message that personal barbs would not be acceptable.
Dwivedi's sharp reaction came a day after Chaturvedi raised a controversy by attacking Pawar, accusing him of misrepresenting facts on availability of sugar as also on the drought situation.
An angry NCP had promptly demanded disciplinary action against Chaturvedi whose statement had come at a time when the issue of alliance between the two parties is being decided by Congress high command, giving the impression that there was more to the statement of Chaturvedi.
Taking the view that Chaturvedi had maligned the UPA government by attacking Pawar, NCP had said even Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh had on many occasions hailed Pawar as one of the best agriculture ministers of the country.
Taking the view that Chaturvedi had maligned the UPA government by attacking Pawar, NCP had said even Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh had on many occasions hailed Pawar as one of the best agriculture ministers of the country.
This is for the second time in recent months that Chaturvedi had landed in controversy after his remarks against
non-Congress leaders.
About six months back, Chaturvedi had made some objectionable remarks against SP leader Amar Singh when
Congress was engaged in seat-sharing talks with his party for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
AICC had then dropped Chaturvedi from the panel of spokespersons following his attack on Amar Singh.