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The Pranab Mukherjee Chat

APology, sir, for looting the nation. Apology, sir, for ensuring our people stay unfed and unclothed. Apology, Sir, for being responsible for developing a new class of absolutely unethical rulers. Apology, sir, for pretending that we are a democracy. Apology, Sir, for spouting egalitarian society to the man without food or clothes in Kalahandi. Apology, Sir, for permitting a spineless bowing down to one family rule. History books, Mr. Mukherjee, seldom talk about the ideals of the rulers they talk about what they did. What did the Congress do, Sir? Don't apologise, fair enough, sit in your ivory towers in Delhi and don't apologise. Fight a Lok Sabha election, then, and possibly apologise...

Mr Mukherjee, Mrs Mukherjee gave Rs 100,000 in one case as surety for Mr Rao, another Rs 100,000 in another case for Mr Rao. You must have a lot of money to throw around. As someone from a middle class background, with a minister's salary, you seem to have a bank balance that is very impressive. I know you have been a minister for a long time, but even so I doubt if a bhadralok would have so much money to throw around?you

I must repeat my question:Professor Mukherjee, It is obvious to anyone who has studied Indian politics that the Congress's appeal in many parts of India, especially the Hindi heartland, has diminished. That your party had to play a secondary role to the BSP is signal enough. So I think you are not being true to yourself when you say the party has a future. Reviving the Congress needs hard decisions, and a definite agenda. At this moment in time, I see neither. Do you believe the return of old Congressmen will do something to revive your party?

Congress is supposed to depend on dalits, minorities as its votebank. Yet, all the leaders are upper castes or from the dominant/landowning castes. With such an dichotomy, can you really hope to win in North India now where people want their true representatives, not brahmins as leaders.

Simon: Mr Simon, your assessment is absolutely wrong. Unfortunately there are not many in this country who share your views. Whether Mrs Sonia Gandhi or Miss Priyanka gandhi will join the Congress party does not depend either on you or on me. It is for them to decide what they will do.

Thank you, Sir. Why is the Congress party and indeed Indian politics like a Mughal court, full of intrigue. Why can't mour politics be above the fray, fought in sportsman-like spirit!

mog, wait for another speech

Diwanji: You have the privilage of passing on a sweeping judgment about the corruption and its synomity with Congress. I do not share your perception. I have already mentioned if the old Congressmen want to come back to Congress, they are welcome to do so. Whether they corrupt or not, how pass judgement on that. Has anyone of them been convicted and you have the privilage of describing them as corrupt. It is not fair.

killer:boss i am not provoking. i walk the backstreets and villages of india now. i work for more freedom of the media. Democracy and stability in India, he says, comparing to other nations? Collapsed democratic instituitions next door versus ours? When a train collides, plane crashes, dengue hits Delhi, Kashmir hots up, North East flares, Miss World in Bangalore, student elections in Kerala, etcetc, we call the army. Democracy? Where are we? Apology is getting off easy, see the crowd in Tihar...

Sir, I think you misunderstand me. I am not criticising you... I just wanted to know ...anyway, another question. What is your vision for Indian business? Why is the Indian economy in such a tepid shape? Do you think Mr Chidambaram is doing a bad job?

Ramesh: Thank you. Congress has never believed in casteim and communalism. Congress believes on its programs which attract people from different sections of the society. Congress alone has provided leadership to leadership to sections of people and if you look at the history of Congress you will find it is truly all India, secular and national in its character. To look at the leadership by catse, religion and community is some sort of perverse approach.

Sir, thank you for your reply, but it is a politician's reply, not a honest one, nor does it speak of the sentiments of us ignored Indians. There is no proof yet, that is why Sukh Ram is only in the lockup, not in jail. But do you expect anybody to believe he is honest? Congress lost in 1989 simply because the common man believe Rajiv Gandhi had taken bribes from Bofors. There is no proof, there never will be? But it was enough to throw you guys out? What is not fair is that the most corrupt guys get away. the poor ones go to jail.

Whatever you say, Mr Mukherjee, can one of you hold a torch to the Nehru dynasty to draw crowds. Only their charisma can take on the might of the BJP?

Whatever you say, Mr Mukherjee, can one of you hold a torch to the Nehru dynasty to draw crowds. Only their charisma can take on the might of the BJP?

hai mog, pranavji is seasoned politician & i never expected honest answer from any politician, these chat will be nothing but well rehershed answers. I think rediff should first attach lie detector to politicians appearing for chat & than put them on. what you think.

Do you believe Mr Kesri has the credentials to be a good leader? Do you think he understands the dynamics of caste better than all you brahmins who dominated the Congress party and refused to see the way India's political mosaic was changing. Do you think forging a dalit-minority alliance will pave off for the party?

Sharma; Mr Sharma, I am astonished by your ignorance of law. When somebody stands for surety, he is not to give Rs 1 lakh in cash or throw it out as you have described. The person concerned who stands for surety should have immovable property worth of that value. Therefore it is not correct thatt Mrs Mukherjee had to rthrow away Rs 1 lakh to one and another to another case. With properties worth rs 1 lakh one can stand surety in one of cases. Before passing apsersions on individuals you should have updated your information. Ignorance does not permit anyboy to hurl abuse on others.

The leadership provided by the Congress only consolidated the position of the entranched castes, the elites? What have you done in the last 20 years for the most backwards, the poorest in Kalahandi, the Muslims under the mullahs. you guys have not even stopped atrocities upon Dalits, nor child marriage in Rajasthan. Is it any wonder your support base is shrinking. Comment.

Mr Mukherjee, the intelligent people of India do not wait for court judgements to decide which politician is guilty or not, nor do the history books...and if you do not realise that, then what can we say? Enjoy !! While you can, that is...

the economy is in a downswing. will congress withdraw support to the UF is it does not pick up, and their policies fail to continue the reforms and liberalisation.

Roy: I do agree Nehru Gandhi family has charisma, but in any democratic system you are to live with avergae charismatic personalities ar rare in any democracy. Moreover, your assessment of BJP's strength is little exaggerated. It is true increasing number of seats from 2 in 1984 to 161 in 1996 is quite impressive. But please do not forget that the percentage of votes has increased from 10 to 19 percentage only. And still Congress at its lowest ebb, has 30 per cent popular vote. So it is you to assess who can take whom.

Talking of corruption, when will Congress politicians account for their assets publicly?

I am glad to have this opportunity given to me by Rediff On The Net and to have an interaction with my invisible questioners. I thank the management and the technicians of Rediff On The Net. I also thank all the questioners for taking the trouble of putting questions to em and solicitng my comments. I am happy that I have been able to generate interest in them. I sincerely thank all of them for putting me questions and apologise if I have been rude in my reply to anyone. Thank You.

Mr Mukherjee: You had held #2 position in Indira Gandhi Government? Why didn't you contest for congress chief's position?

Sir, you are credited as being one of the architects of the new economic policies as advisor to Rao. Why didn't you try to implement it in the early 1980s, when you were Indira Gandhi's finance minister?

Hey, Mr Mukherjee, please wait. Reply to a few more!!!!!

FIVE MORE QUESTIONS, SIR!

FIVE MORE QUESTIONS, SIR!

Thank You, Mr Mukherjee, for appearing on our Chat. We hope you enjoyed it, and hope you will appear again. And thanks to our readers.

Thank You, Mr Mukherjee, for appearing on our Chat. We hope you enjoyed it, and hope you will appear again. And thanks to our readers.