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Jethmalani accuses PM of discourtesy

Tara Shankar Sahay in New Delhi

Former Union law minister Ram Jethmalani Thursday accused Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of discourtesy, after he resigned, and said Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee misled Vajpayee.

Explaining the reasons for his resignation, at a crowded press conference at his 2 Akbar Road residence, Jethmalani said, "Let me not pretend that I just resigned. I was sacked. It is true I would have resigned the next day anyhow, but it does not cease to be a sacking."

The explanation came after both Houses of Parliament were adjourned when they could not break the deadlock emanating out a technical snag which prevented the sacked minister from citing reasons for his controversial resignation.

"I have not had the courtesy of even a telephone conversation with the prime minister (following the resignation) and I told him that he was not giving me sufficient time."

He, however, conceded that Vajpayee was a very busy man, but stressed that the prime minister could have found some time for his law minister.

Referring to the recent controversy which led to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray's arrest and release, Jethmalani pointed out, "I knew the facts of the Thackeray case and I consider it my right and duty to proclaim the correct legal position. I was advising the Maharashtra government not to take this stupid step."

Continuing his tirade against Sorabjee, he pointed out that he had needlessly charged money from the government despite his official position. He also justified his appointment of MRTP chairman Justice B M Lal, describing him as a "man of exceptional integrity."

He acknowledged that he had received a petition from Rashtrapati Bhavan "on my comments," but stressed that they were justified and made in conviction. He also conceded that he had stressed to the chief justice that he knew his law as well as anybody else and had accordingly written his last letter to Anand. If he had not done what he did, "it would have been a betrayal of the people of India," he added.

Underlining that his "definition of confidentiality was widely different from that of many people,"Jethmalani said correspondence with the chief justice and attorney-general "was not confidential" as the Rajya Sabha secretariat was making it out to be.

The former minister explained, "I do not blame the prime minister. I believe he was misled by those who had his ears, which I did not have at least on the crucial day. I was not informed of the reasons which called for this demand and was left to conjecture."

Jethmalani pointed out that the government had made a statement that supported his conjecture that Vajpayee had been led to believe that the sacked minister had unnecessarily angered the chief justice and attorney general.

Referring to Chief Justice A S Anand, Jethmalani said, "I believe he is of the opinion that he is a sitting judge and I a practising lawyer before him."

He contended that his statement to Anand "is fully justified" and said that some bureaucrats had "made some effort to cocoon the prime minister to prevent access to him."

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