Straight Answers

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">Kripa Shankar Singh, Minister of State for Home (Rural), On signature campaigns against him by partymen<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Several Congress activists, at the behest of Mumbai Regional Congress Committee President Gurudas Kamat, have started a campaign against you and MHADA President Madhu Chavan for anti-party activities.</span><br /><br />Kamat has lost it. But that’s nothing new with him. He has previously done that with Murli Deora and Sunil Dutt too. This time he’s picked on me. I care a hoot. As long as we enjoy the confidence of our leader Sonia Gandhi, who is Kamat? Duttsaab, Deora and many others against whom these people are working have all been given significant responsibilties by Gandhi. How can they spread canards about these people?<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Doesn’t it bring to the fore the internal infighting in the party, that too in an election year? Besides, you aren’t doing much to reduce tensions by convening a meeting of rebel partymen.</span><br /><br />First, it does bring bad name to the party. You cannot go public against your own partymen. This so-called signature campaigns don’t go well with party discipline. How can I be branded as an anti-party man? Second, regarding my organising a rebels’ meet, it’s a lie I’ve called for a Diwali milan which has nothing to do with party politics.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">If you claim that Kamat and his supporters are trying to defame you, will you approach the high command?</span><br /><br />Such campaigns have not affected my workings as a minister. I am going about my work as usual. But I am not going to take it lightly. We are meeting Gandhi to appraise her about the matter. Deora and Duttsaab are also meeting her. We have to approach the high command to stop this indiscipline.<br /><br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">nirmal.mishra@timesgroup.com</span></div> </div>