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The party however is silent on taking any action against those which includes the likes of senior leaders P Chidambaram and his son Karti, Digvijay Singh and HR Bhardwaj, for making such public statements. Incidentally, this is not the first gag order issued by the Congress to its partymen. General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi had also recently issued a circular to all general secretaries advising them to speak within party forums and not in the media, nothing has come of it.
Chairman of the communication department, Ajay Maken today said, "They should save their suggestions to give those to the leadership directly when the high command holds discussions with them. They are senior leaders and, in the larger interest of the party, should eschew airing such views publicly when the party has provided them with adequate platforms to do the same."
Maken then clarified that this directive was general in nature. "All leaders should desist from giving their suggestions and views to the leadership publicly when there are various platforms within the party where they can put forth their viewpoints," he said.
Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram's statements of late at a book launch that former PM Manmohan Singh should have listened to his advice and cancelled the 2G licenses; had caused a stir within the party. Several Congressmen have been wondering whether any diktat would be issued against him. A while back his son Karti had spoken out against the "high command's observer culture."
Former Law minister HR Bhardwaj had pitched for a leadership role for Priyanka Gandhi in the Congress saying only she could save the party at this juncture.
