Debroy exit internal matter of institute, says Congress

Seeking to downplay the controversy triggered by the resignation of Bibek Debroy as the director of Rajiv Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies, the Congress today argued that it was an internal matter of the institution.

The controversy had started when Debroy’s paper gave top ranking to Gujarat on economic freedom in the period before Narendra Modi took over. But after Modi seized upon the paper to generate publicity for his government, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, chairperson of the foundation, ruled that all research papers would have to be vetted by the foundation’s executive, forcing Debroy to quit.

Party spokesman Anand Sharma said, “the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation as also the institute are autonomous institutions and every institution has its constitution. The individual concerned has himself explained the reasons and they do not include any reference to interference in academic freedom.’’

On the BJP’s charge of intolerance, he said,‘‘these insinuations are not correct.’’