Panaji, Nov 17 (UNI) The Congress on Saturday said that the secrecy around the illness of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and former United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi can't be compared as Ms Gandhi was not a Prime Minister nor she held any cabinet post while suffering from illness.
Responding to a question during a press conference at Congress State Headquarters in the city, Randeep Singh Surjewala, In-Charge, Communications, All India Congress Committee (AICC) said,'Sonia Gandhi was neither the Prime Minister of India, nor was a minister in the cabinet holding a cabinet post (when the illness occurred).
'... can I say that the two examples are not alike?. Sonia Gandhi was neither the Prime Minister of India, nor was a minister in the cabinet holding a cabinet post. I can have five ailments. I have for example high blood pressure and I take medicine for it, but I had not disclosed it till today, till you asked me. That does. Not mean that I have to describe every problem that I have in public domain. It is only when you are holding a position of power and a position of power as the head of the state. Chief Minister rules the state as the head, he is first among equals. When Constitutionalism will be finished, when Article 163, 164, 166 will be held captive to whims of national leadership of BJP, when elected representatives will not rule and we do not even know who is ruling Goa and who is taking decisions for the Chief Minister for he is unable to sign on the file, should such questions not be asked in the interests of the people,' the Congress leader said.
He was responding to a question whether Congress, which was seeking medical bulletin of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, was transparent enough while disclosing the information related to Ms Gandhi's illness when she was Congress President and also head of National Advisory Council.
UNI AKM 1548