PM needs to clarify on Subramanian Swamy: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday dubbed Dr Subramanian Swamy the “undeclared spokesman” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the BJP MP targeted chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian seeking his sacking and asked the PM to “clarify whether the charges levelled are false”.

Congress spokesman P.L. Punia told reporters that the Prime Minister himself should speak out on the issue as finance minister Arun Jaitley’s dismissing Dr Swamy’s statement “mattered little” as the BJP MP has also been targeting Mr Jaitley.

“Since the issue involved a key official, the Prime Minister should himself clarify whether the charges levelled are false... Besides, the Prime Minister should specify the action being initiated against Swamy... The Prime Minister should act against either Swamy or the CEA as per the situation,” he said.

Mr Swamy later tweeted: “I have never said I speak on behalf of BJP on AS (Arvind Subramanian), but as a nationalist shocked that a GoI (Government of India) person would urge US Cong to fix India.”

Mr Punia insisted that Mr Modi’s clarification is a must given the perception that the issues being “pursued” by Mr Swamy have the “silent approval” of the Prime Minister.

“Swamy acts like an undeclared spokesman of the Prime Minister. Whatever the Prime Minister wants to say against any official or Opposition leader, he does it through Swamy,” Mr Punia claimed.

Mr Punia alleged that the problem with the government is that it does not have regard for honest officials and makes attempt to humiliate them.

“The government wants sycophants like Gajendra Chauhan, Chetan Chauhan, Pahlaj Nihalani, Appa Rao, Sudarshan Rao and Ram Bahadur Rai (in high positions),” he claimed.

Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala tweeted: “Subramanian Swamy is the unofficial spokesperson of the PM; Modi uses him to ridicule his own party men and Opposition.”

After his tirade against RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, Dr Swamy on Wednesday opened a new front, targeting Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and demanded his sacking.