HRD Minister Arjun Singh’s statement on Emergency appears to have no takers in the Congress with the party on Monday saying that it does not recollect his opposition to the measure taken by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.“We do not recollect his ever coming out in opposition to the Emergency in the last 30 years,” AICC spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here.He also sought to dismiss Singh’s controversial comments on internal democracy in the party, saying, “Congress party has too much democracy and too much discussions. We are accused of too much multi-layered discussion. So any charge of lack of democracy cannot but be baseless.”Singh himself has said the chapter is closed. So it is also closed for us. And all other questions should be addressed to him.“He has opened the book and he has closed it,” Singhvi said.Singhvi, who was subjected to a volley of questions on the issue, said, “We have nothing to add since Singh has closed the chapter and so the party has also done so.” He steered clear of questions on whether it was a case of forgive and forget for the party for Singh, whether any disciplinary action would be taken against him and whether the party was suggesting to the senior minister to take “vishram” (rest).Facing fierce criticism from the party for his public outbursts against its leadership, Singh on Sunday pledged his loyalty to the Gandhi family “till I live” and attempted to play down the controversy dismissing it as “needless and irrelevant."
