12-11-2006, 04:16 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Manmohan 'Muslim first' remark raises a storm </b>
Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi
PMO rushes to blame media
BJP set to rock both Houses
We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said while addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting on Saturday.
The media which faithfully reported the Prime Minister's speech is now in the line of fire. It has been accused by the PM of "deliberate and mischievous misinterpretation" of his speech.Â
<b>The PM's outburst against the media follows a major political uproar with the BJP accusing the PM of espousing the time-tested policy of "minority appeasement" for political gains. </b>
Coming as it did in the backdrop of Sachar Commission report and clamour by the Congress and its so-called "secular" allies for reservation to the minorities,<b> the PM's "Muslim first" assertion is being seen as a ploy to taste political water before slicing away nation's resources for the Muslims on a divisive line.</b>
The tone and tenor of the denial issued by the PMO on Sunday would be seen as highly offensive to the media. By holding that the media reporting was " deliberate and mischievous," the PMO has virtually accused the media of indulging in "motivated" campaign. Incidentally, the entire media, both electronic and print, verbatim quoted PM's National Development Council speech.
The statement issued by the PMO said the Prime Minister's reference to the first claim on resources referred to all the priority areas, including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities.
The PMO's clarification is based on the following lines preceding the "Muslim first" paragraph. These said, "I believe our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure and essential public investments needs of general infrastructure along with programmes for upliftment of SCs/STs, OBCs, minorities and women and children.
In the clarification the PMO said that, "It will be seen from the above that Prime minister's reference to "first claim on resources" refers to all the priority. However, it was not clear how these lines refute the " Muslim first stance."
<b>It is obvious that under fire from political quarters, the PM is now trying to hide behind subjective interpretation of a well-enunciated speech that has been objectively reported by the media. </b>
The PM may have backtracked from the statement, but the issue is likely to dominate parliament proceedings on Monday. The BJP is set to raise the issue and both houses could plunge into yet another confrontation between the ruling allies and the Opposition.
<b>Even though the PM has though it prudent to distance himself from the statement before he was asked to clarify the matter in Parliament, </b>
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi sang a different tune, and said there was no need for the clarification from the PMO on Singh's remarks.
"I personally feel that even if the clarification was given, it was not at all necessary because it might have annoyed some sections for their own orthodox and obscurantist models but it does not harm the stature and the leadership of the Prime Minister", Dasmunsi said
When pointed out that the PMO still issued the clarification, he said "that might be because somebody would try to score a point as we have gone to a religious line and that is not the point."
Notwithstanding Dasmunsi's bravado, sources said a section of the Congress party was unnerved by the political implication of the "Muslim first" stance. With Assembly elections in five States just round the corner, there are apprehensions that the Congress may end up polarising the voters.
The gambit is seen as a desperate attempt to influence the minorities ahead of the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh , where the Muslims are unhappy with the congress on a range of domestic and <b>foreign policy issues</b>.
<b>PM misquoted?</b>
"We'll have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably In the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources"
<b>PMO's clarification </b>
Media reporting on Prime Minister's speech was "deliberate and mischievous misinterpretation" ... a "motivated" campaign
<b>Dasmunsi's take</b>
'(PMO clarification) was not... necessary because it might have annoyed some sections for their own orthodox obscurantist models but it does not harm the stature and the leadership of the Prime Minister' <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Navin Upadhyay | New Delhi
PMO rushes to blame media
BJP set to rock both Houses
We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said while addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting on Saturday.
The media which faithfully reported the Prime Minister's speech is now in the line of fire. It has been accused by the PM of "deliberate and mischievous misinterpretation" of his speech.Â
<b>The PM's outburst against the media follows a major political uproar with the BJP accusing the PM of espousing the time-tested policy of "minority appeasement" for political gains. </b>
Coming as it did in the backdrop of Sachar Commission report and clamour by the Congress and its so-called "secular" allies for reservation to the minorities,<b> the PM's "Muslim first" assertion is being seen as a ploy to taste political water before slicing away nation's resources for the Muslims on a divisive line.</b>
The tone and tenor of the denial issued by the PMO on Sunday would be seen as highly offensive to the media. By holding that the media reporting was " deliberate and mischievous," the PMO has virtually accused the media of indulging in "motivated" campaign. Incidentally, the entire media, both electronic and print, verbatim quoted PM's National Development Council speech.
The statement issued by the PMO said the Prime Minister's reference to the first claim on resources referred to all the priority areas, including programmes for the upliftment of SCs, STs, OBCs, women and children and minorities.
The PMO's clarification is based on the following lines preceding the "Muslim first" paragraph. These said, "I believe our collective priorities are clear: agriculture, irrigation and water resources, health, education, critical investment in rural infrastructure and essential public investments needs of general infrastructure along with programmes for upliftment of SCs/STs, OBCs, minorities and women and children.
In the clarification the PMO said that, "It will be seen from the above that Prime minister's reference to "first claim on resources" refers to all the priority. However, it was not clear how these lines refute the " Muslim first stance."
<b>It is obvious that under fire from political quarters, the PM is now trying to hide behind subjective interpretation of a well-enunciated speech that has been objectively reported by the media. </b>
The PM may have backtracked from the statement, but the issue is likely to dominate parliament proceedings on Monday. The BJP is set to raise the issue and both houses could plunge into yet another confrontation between the ruling allies and the Opposition.
<b>Even though the PM has though it prudent to distance himself from the statement before he was asked to clarify the matter in Parliament, </b>
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi sang a different tune, and said there was no need for the clarification from the PMO on Singh's remarks.
"I personally feel that even if the clarification was given, it was not at all necessary because it might have annoyed some sections for their own orthodox and obscurantist models but it does not harm the stature and the leadership of the Prime Minister", Dasmunsi said
When pointed out that the PMO still issued the clarification, he said "that might be because somebody would try to score a point as we have gone to a religious line and that is not the point."
Notwithstanding Dasmunsi's bravado, sources said a section of the Congress party was unnerved by the political implication of the "Muslim first" stance. With Assembly elections in five States just round the corner, there are apprehensions that the Congress may end up polarising the voters.
The gambit is seen as a desperate attempt to influence the minorities ahead of the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh , where the Muslims are unhappy with the congress on a range of domestic and <b>foreign policy issues</b>.
<b>PM misquoted?</b>
"We'll have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably In the fruits of development. They must have the first claim on resources"
<b>PMO's clarification </b>
Media reporting on Prime Minister's speech was "deliberate and mischievous misinterpretation" ... a "motivated" campaign
<b>Dasmunsi's take</b>
'(PMO clarification) was not... necessary because it might have annoyed some sections for their own orthodox obscurantist models but it does not harm the stature and the leadership of the Prime Minister' <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->