Jaipur: Veteran Congress leader Margaret Alva today said her autobiography, “Courage and Commitment”, contains contents which are based on a parliamentary debate and has nothing to do with any issue prevailing today.
“I am not getting involved in issues which are before the courts or Parliament. I have not written about AgustaWestland deal in my book. I do not know about it as I am not in Parliament. I have written about 1980s when I was blackmailed by an arms dealer,” Alva told reporters here.
“Since I raised that matter in Parliament and based on the record of the parliamentary proceeding on the debate of that time, I have written it,” she said.
Alva, a former Rajasthan Governor, was in the city for unveiling of her autobiography.
“This is my life story and the ups and downs I saw in my life. What I have written are the events of my life, I lived and saw ups and downs. The autobiography was written in my days of Raj Bhawan when I had plenty of time,” she said.
Alva, while talking about her achievements and disappointments she faced in the life, said that she is not angry and is enjoying her retired life.
Sharing with audience her equation with former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Alva said Indira was a leader and she dared to point out negative things to her during the Emergency.
On the other hand, she said, Rajiv never considered himself a leader and treated his ministers as friends and colleagues. “He considered us a part of a team and it was fun working with him,” she said.
“I never hesitated to tell the truth. Even during the period of Emergency, I would tell her (Indira Gandhi) that what I have seen or observed. She reprimanded me sometime but she was prepared to listen,” she said.
The former Governor narrated her life events, right from her birth to her present status in nearly one-hour discourse.
She talked about the incident of Sati in Rajasthan when she was the minister of women and child development in Rajiv Gandhi government.
“When the sati incident happened, I offered my resignation and I said I cannot defend it in Parliament but he (Rajiv) said it was the chief minister who failed to stop it and the CM was made to resign,” she said.
On the present state of Congress, she said instead of directly pointing fingers towards the national leadership, responsibilities at the state level should also be fixed.
“There are very senior people in charge of states and what they are doing? Why we are not talking about them. If something goes wrong in Karnataka, why we are pointing fingers at Delhi? It is for those sitting in Karnataka to sort out the problem and issues. Let us place the blame where it is to place and let us ask for corrective measures at the state and district levels,” she said.
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:www.oneindia.com)
