Grand alliance a tried, tested and failed idea, says Jaitley
always maintained within the party and outside that trusting people like this who hang around in the periphery of political parties was probably a mistake that we historically made,” Jaitley said.
He did not name anyone, but it was seen as an oblique reference to former Union ministers such as Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie who have openly criticised the Prime Minister and his government on policy matters and the way India’s ruling party was functioning.
Jaitley also dismissed Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s statement — on Friday at the HT Leadership Summit — that the current regime was not allowing a debate to take place and was imposing its own idea of India on others, and particularly Gandhi’s claim that he had told the finance minister that Kashmir was on fire but he hadn’t been heard.
“I have heard him say (so) in the past. But I cannot respond to hallucinations,” Jaitley said, before adding, “I am second man to have suffered from (Gandhi’s) hallucinations. President (Emmanuel) Macron was the first.” That was a reference to Gandhi’s statement that the French President told him there was no secrecy clause in the deal for Rafale jet fighters signed with Paris; Macron’s government denied the claim.
Jaitley also dismissed Gandhi’s allegation that investigating agencies were being used to clamp down on people and there was fear among businessmen: “Tell me in the last two years (the names of) two businessmen who have been wrongly arrested. When you (Gandhi) make a speech… something must be based on some factual basis.”