05-30-2004, 09:09 PM
<b>Extra-Constitutional Power Sonia acting as parallel power centre: Fernandes</b>
Sunday May 30 2004 17:50 IST
IANS
NEW DELHI: Janata Dal-United (JD-U) president George Fernandes on Sunday accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi of acting as a parallel power centre to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
<b>Fernandes, the former defence minister, told reporters here that ministers and bureaucrats were calling on Sonia and briefing her about ministerial and official matters, many of which were of a confidential nature</b>.
This was happening even though Sonia was under no obligation not to reveal such information to others, he claimed.
<b>Quoting from a report in a national daily, Fernandes said: "Career-minded officers are queuing outside the residence of Gandhi, who is only an MP and the chief of the Congress party.â
"This (trend) gives rise to many legal and security questions," he said, noting that after taking oath as a minister, no individual is allowed to communicate or reveal confidential matters to anyone except during the discharge of official duties.
Criticising the newspaper report for suggesting that Sonia should be provided an institutionalised voice to avoid criticism for acting as an extra-constitutional power, he wondered what the paper meant by "institutionalisation".</b>
<b>"She is only an MP and chief of the Congress party,"</b> he said, while accusing Gandhi of belittling the office of the prime minister.
The main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, an ally of the JD-U, has levelled similar allegations against Gandhi, which have been refuted by Congress leaders.
Manmohan Singh assumed the high office May 22 after Sonia, the more powerful party president, stepped aside.
Sunday May 30 2004 17:50 IST
IANS
NEW DELHI: Janata Dal-United (JD-U) president George Fernandes on Sunday accused Congress president Sonia Gandhi of acting as a parallel power centre to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
<b>Fernandes, the former defence minister, told reporters here that ministers and bureaucrats were calling on Sonia and briefing her about ministerial and official matters, many of which were of a confidential nature</b>.
This was happening even though Sonia was under no obligation not to reveal such information to others, he claimed.
<b>Quoting from a report in a national daily, Fernandes said: "Career-minded officers are queuing outside the residence of Gandhi, who is only an MP and the chief of the Congress party.â
"This (trend) gives rise to many legal and security questions," he said, noting that after taking oath as a minister, no individual is allowed to communicate or reveal confidential matters to anyone except during the discharge of official duties.
Criticising the newspaper report for suggesting that Sonia should be provided an institutionalised voice to avoid criticism for acting as an extra-constitutional power, he wondered what the paper meant by "institutionalisation".</b>
<b>"She is only an MP and chief of the Congress party,"</b> he said, while accusing Gandhi of belittling the office of the prime minister.
The main Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, an ally of the JD-U, has levelled similar allegations against Gandhi, which have been refuted by Congress leaders.
Manmohan Singh assumed the high office May 22 after Sonia, the more powerful party president, stepped aside.