The RSP’s NK Premachandran found himself under attack from Sushma Swaraj in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Participating in the adjournment motion debate, Premchandran demanded Sushma’s resignation; he quoted Article 75, Schedule 3 of the Constitution to say it was binding on ministers to discharge official duties without “fear or favour” and “without ill-will or affection”.
“Here it is being done as a favour. The minister has accepted in her statement that she has done this on the basis of humanitarian consideration. . So, the conflict of interest and violation of oath of office is there,” he said.
Sushma intervened to tell the House Premachandran himself had written to her for help to the aged mother of an Indian convict in Oman, serving a life sentence for planned robbery and murder. Premchandran looked surprised as Sushma read out from his letter: “…Madhvan Pillai is in the Central Jail for 18 year
His bedridden old mother is waiting to see her son before the death,” Sushma read out from Premchandran’s letter. “If I help someone on his request on humanitarian grounds, I am not violating my duties. But if I help someone else, I become a criminal? I would like to remind Mr Premchandran jinke apne ghar shishe ke ho, unhe dusre par patthar nahin phekne chahiye,” a combative Sushma said. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan allowed Premchandran to reply.
I am not remembering the letter… It may be correct… Yes, I do accept,” he said adding that had been a different situation. “I am writing a letter to my foreign minister to see whether something could be done in order to help… the minister has to examine with the external affairs ministry if it is proper to be done. But in the other case, what has been done?” he said.
Rahul Gandhi later took it up. “I would like to ask Sushmaji if she carried out the request.” While Sushma did not respond, the reply came much later, during the government’s reply to the debate from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
“Sushmaji acted on that request as well. The mercy petition of the families of these Indians has been regularly forwarded to the local government for consideration and reduction of their jail sentence terms,” Jaitley said.
“The difficulty with Shri Rahul Gandhi is that he is an expert without knowledge. So, without knowing the case, he is presuming that Shrimati Sushmaji only wanted to help one man and not these persons.”
ref: indianexpress
