Edited by Deepali Verma
A series of pointed questions were directed at senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh where the Rajya Sabha member and senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani raised concerns over the altered route of Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming “Bharat Nyaya Yatra” and its specific omission of Arunachal Pradesh. Jethmalani was vocal about his reservations and sought answers from Ramesh on various issues, including Congress’s decision to enter a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Communist Party in 2008.
“Over the course of several years Jairam Ramesh’s views on Arunachal Pradesh make for an ominous reading,” Jethamalani wrote in a social media post, alleging that as an environment minister in the UPA government, the Congress leader wanted a review of all the existing hydel projects in the state and halt any new ones.
“He further asserted that Bharat won’t be able to construct dams on its own and should ask for Chinese expertise in its hydel projects in the state,” the lawmaker wrote.
Jethmalani also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming East-to-West ‘Bharat Nyay Yatra’ as to why Arunachal Pradesh didn’t feature in the outreach program. After Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, Ramesh in February remarked that the party was considering undertaking a similar march from Pasighat in Arunachal Pradesh to Porbandar in Gujarat.
“The nation was very recently informed by Jairam that Rahul will undertake a “Bharat Nyaya Yatra” but its route extends from Manipur to Mumbai. The Yatra will not cover Arunachal Pradesh,” the Rajya Sabha member said, posing 10 questions to fellow lawmakers and the Congress general secretary in charge of communications.
The 10 questions Jethmalani posed to Jairam Ramesh:
Route change logic: Why was the original route of the Yatra changed as announced by you?
On the exclusion of Arunachal Pradesh: Did you exclude Arunachal Pradesh from the Yatra’s route in view of China’s renaming of 11 places in the state as a mark of its claim to the state?
Arunachal Pradesh solidarity: As you were so agitated by China’s nominal aggression, wasn’t it all the more necessary for the INC to commence the Yatra in – or at least include AP – on the Yatra route as a sign of solidarity with the people of that state?
Chinese role in insurgency: Do you agree that China adds to the insurgency in the North East and funds/arms insurgency in Manipur?
China’s hand in Manipur violence: Has it occurred to you – at least as a possibility – that the Manipur violence earlier this year could have a Chinese involvement in it?
2008 MOU: Did you personally play any role in the decision of the INC to enter into an MOU with the CCCP in 2008?
MOU contents: Are you aware of its contents?
Recognition of China’s sovereignty: Does the MOU have a clause which mentions that the INC will recognise Chinese sovereignty over Arunachal Pradesh?
Legality of 2008 MOU: Are you of the view that it was legal for an Bharatiya political party that was in power at the Centre in 2008 to enter into an MOU with the CCCP which is synonymous with the Chinese State that illegally occupies since 1962 a huge swathe of Bharatiya territory?
Transparency call: In any event should this MOU not be made public on the principle of transparency which you and your party wax eloquent about?
