Tags:
Journalism of Courage
JDU president Sharad Yadav on Sunday hit out at former President A P J Abdul Kalam for his comments that he was ready to appoint Sonia Gandhi as the prime minister in 2004,despite intense lobbying against her.
Yadav,who is also the NDA convenor,said,His Kalams conscience has woken up late. It is for self-aggrandisement. We used to respect him a lot,but now are very saddened after such comments.
In his book,Turning Points,Kalam also suggested that former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not keen about his visit to Gujarat following the riots there in 2002.
Kalams remark has given the Congress an occasion to question Vajpayees commitment to Rajdharma which the former prime minister is learnt to have advised Narendra Modi to follow in Gujarat.
Yadav also questioned as to why Kalam remained silent for eight years even as wild rumours and gossips went on in the countrys political space.
Yadav said,Constitutional head should speak out the truth when it is required. Talking of conscience when it suits you does not matter. Gandhiji used to speak according to his conscience immediately. Why did he Kalam kill his conscience then?
The JDU chief also sought to know the reason for speaking out truth eight years after the event unfolded. Truth should be spoken when it is needed. If it is spoken out when it is not required then it is affectation, he added.
