On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s words defending Raghuram Rajan’s work and Indianness would have come as a major comfort to the outgoing governor, who had to face a barrage of personal attacks from the BJP maverick MP Subramanian Swamy on his patriotism and personal integrity, although Rajan would have hoped Modi’s statements came earlier.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Swamy had attacked Rajan for being “mentally not fully Indian” and on the governor’s personal integrity and professional efficiency. But, on Monday, in an interview to Times Now Television channel, Modi refused to back Swamy, instead praised Rajan. Modi called attacks on Rajan as “inappropriate” and said Rajan is “no less patriotic” than anyone.
“Kisi se bhi Raghuram Rajan ki deshbakti kam nahi hai (Raghuram Rajan’s patriotism is no less than anyone),” Modi said.
Modi simultaneously added that no one should consider himself above the system. Now, this statement is easy to interpret as an explicit warning to Swamy, who has made controversial statements not just against Rajan, but also against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his trusted aides in the finance ministry, CEA Arvind Subramanian and Economic Advisor Shaktikanta Das. Swamy had even said that if he hadn’t followed party decorum, there would have been “bloodbath” in an indirect response to Jaitley who earlier said that politicians should exercise “restraint” on government officials.
Besides Rajan, Swamy had also attacked CEA Subramanian for allegedly siding with the US companies in his 2013 testimony to US Congress and Das for facilitating Congress leader P Chidambaram’s alleged land deal in Mahabalipuram. Swamy also alleged that the CEA encouraged the Congress party to go “rigid” on the crucial Goods ad Services Tax (GST).
On Monday, Modi didn’t economise words in dismissing Swamy’s attacks.
“Whether it is in my party or not, still I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong,” the PM told the channel.
Source From : firstpost.com
