NEWSLINKS
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTION 99
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

The Rediff Interview/ Madan Lal Khurana

'Am I to be treated like this?'

As it was, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been wondering what to do with senior partyman Madan Lal Khurana. Then came April 26, bringing with it the last straw: a defiant letter from the former Delhi chief minister.

Enough was enough, Vajpayee decided. He consulted Bharatiya Janata Party chief Kushabhau Thakre and others senior party leaders. Their decision was unanimous: fix Khurana well and true so that no one else would think of trying similar antics.

Thakre immediately removed Khurana as the BJP vice-president. The BJP leadership just could not shut its eye to the fact that Khurana had sought to crucify the government by his letter to the prime minister, the contents of which were leaked to the press.

Khurana couldn't have missed that his letter may land him in scalding soup. But he was willing to take a gamble. Khurana's discomfiture was heightened with his supporters driving home the 'unpalatable' point that whereas young partymen like Arun Jaitley and Pramod Mahajan were powerful ministers, he had been left with precious little to do.

His letter, thus, was an attempt to jolt the party leadership out of its 'reverie.'

Speaking to Tara Shankar Sahay, Khurana said he was forced to pen it after being shabbily treated by the prime minister's office. He also hinted that from now he would not fight shy of calling a spade a spade where political matters were concerned. Excerpts from the interview:

You have been a 'closet' dissident ever since you were overlooked for a ministerial berth. What spurred you to write the letter to the prime minister?

I have never been afraid to critically speak out when it concerns crucial matters. I did so when I was the parliamentary affairs minister earlier and I have been continuing it. Maybe, some in the BJP do not like my insistence to speak out freely.

As far as I am concerned, I just could not ignore the barrage of criticism against the government on the issue of the cuts in subsidies, the price hike in PDS food grain. After all, as the people's representative, it is the duty of the member of Parliament to apprise the party and the government of what the people feel about the policies of the government. That is why I wrote to the prime minister, after being shabbily treated by the prime minister's office.

I had requested an appointment with Vajpayeeji [on April 17] and was given just five minutes. I have my own standing in the party, am I to be treated like this? I am a loyal soldier of the party but I will not balk at raising matters which have a direct and serious bearing on the people's welfare.

The leakage of the contents of your letter to the prime minister is instrumental in your removal as the BJP vice-president. How did that happen?

Ask the prime minister's office.

What is this controversy about your being guided by former prime minister Chandra Shekhar?

You can't stop people from talking, I guess. When Chandra Shekharji had his leg injury in early March, I went to see him. I suppose people have tried to paint this as rebellion on my part and tongues have been wagging ever since. But frankly, I am not bothered as long as I succeed in underscoring my point of view.

You insist that you will raise the government's alleged caving in to pressure by the World Trade Organisation and World Bank in the Lok Sabha. Will not this enhance your image as a party gadfly?

Look, if I wrote my letter to the prime minister, it was for a cause, not for the heck of it. Mujhe jo likhna tha woh mainne likha, ab jo bolana hai woh main boloonga (I wrote what I wanted to write, now I will speak what I have to).

The PDS food grain price hike, the cuts in subsidies and certain economic policies of the government have adversely affected those people who are reeling to make ends meet. I had earlier attempted to bring this to the prime minister's notice. I could not because I wasn't given sufficient time. But now I have all the time in the world.

It is alleged that you are in cahoots with certain leaders of the National Democratic Alliance to embarrass the government. What is your defence?

Madan Lal Khurana does not need to defend himself because his action is open and for everyone to see. The price hike issue is agitating many people including our own party members and our coalition partners. We have raised it together, I don't see anything wrong with it. If people draw their own conclusions that I am a rebel, well, so be it. I will raise all issues which adversely affect the people, my voters.

The way things are proceeding, you are likely to be hauled up again by your party leadership, don't you think?

I have explained my position. What will happen will happen.

You were earlier critical of the RSS but now you seem to be praising it. Why so?

On the contrary I have always spoken highly of the RSS policies which I think are conducive for our people and the government. Whatever I have said in my letter to Vajpayeeji is in consonance with the RSS polices and my party's stand. So why should anybody try and corner be as a rebel?

Where does Madan Lal Khurana go from here?

I told you, I am a loyal member of the party, so I will remain in it. But I will continue to raise issues which are vital for the people and the country. If the people elected us and sent us to Parliament, it is not to show our faces but to strive for a better world for them.

The Rediff Interviews

ALSO SEE
Letter to PM was in tune with BJP stand: Khurana

Tell us what you think of this interview