NRI Affairs Minister Jagdish Tytler today said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had forced him to resign from the Council of Ministers. And in his letter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi—this was different from the letter he addressed to the PM—Tytler wrote: ‘‘Madam, I have become a victim of sustained conspiracy by my political adversaries, including from within my party.’’ Minutes after handing over his resignation—he did not clarify why he had handed his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi and not to the Prime Minister— Tytler told The Indian Express that the Prime Minister’s speech in Lok Sabha left him with no option but to tender his resignation. It’s learnt that the Prime Minister’s Office had made its intentions clear in the morning itself. Trying to put up a brave face, Tytler said: ‘‘The inquiry presents me with a good opportunity to clear my name once and for all. I could not have been in the Council of Ministers when an inquiry is on. I could not have carried on as a minister after the Prime Minister assured the House and the nation that evidence will be looked into afresh.’’ ‘‘I did not want to be a cause for any further embarrassment to the party. I hope that the inquiry is completed in a time bound manner.’’ He was quick to add though: ‘‘The Prime Minister has done a good thing by deciding to look into the evidence afresh.’’ Trying to justify his resignation, he also attacked Leader of Opposition L K Advani. ‘‘He (Advani) is himself a suspect in the Babri Masjid demolition case, he has no right to speak of propriety in public life. When Advani criticised me and the Government, I decided that I should tender my resignation voluntarily’’ he said. Tytler questioned the wisdom of the Nanavati Commission in deciding to trust an affidavit which he claimed was doctored. He said that previous inquiries and investigations, including that by the CBI, had found him not guilty. ‘‘I have been given a clean chit by all of them and in the last 21 years, no one has pointed to my involvement. One fails to understand why Justice Nanavati trusted the affidavit. It was written in English which was beyond the capability of the witness.’’ ‘‘It was also withdrawn by the same person and another affidavit submitted. The Commission, however, decided to trust the first affidavit and take no note of the subsequent retraction,’’ he said. Text of the letters written by Jagdish Tytler to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh • Respected Sonia Gandhiji, I write this with a heavy heart, hurt as I am due to my name having been mentioned in the Justice Nanavati report on the basis of complete distortion of facts. I need hardly reiterate my unstinting loyalty to the party and your family, my association with both having been since 1972. Madam, I have become a victim of sustained conspiracy by my political adversaries, including from within my party. I find that the development of last two days have taken a turn which have created an embarrassing situation for you personally and for the government, and hence I am enclosing my unconditional letter of resignation from the Council of Ministers, addressed to the honourable Prime Minister, and I trust this shall enable you to take the decision in the interest of the party. I once again take this opportunity to assure you that as always, I shall remain a loyal Congressman. With respectful regards, Yours sincerely (Signed) Jagdish Tytler
