Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi, MP, Spokesperson, AICC addressed the media today at AICC Hdqrs, today.

Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said-On behalf of the Congress Party from this podium, we seek the removal, the departure, the exit of the collaborator for violating the Constitution, the CVC. He must go. It is irrelevant whether he resigns or is sacked, but he must go. Just look at some simple facts; it is clear that the CVC is acting as an ambassador for Asthana, it is clear that he is acting as an agent and messenger for the government, to do whatever hatchet jobs. It is clear that after acting as an ambassador, after lobbying for Asthana, doing advocacy for Asthana, the CVC is writing a report which is the entire basis for the committee’s decision. The reports in your newspapers today, quote objective facts, they can’t be denied, they haven’t been denied, they’re very viable. One objective fact is, that on so and so date, the CVC met Mr Verma for more than an hour and CVC came to Verma and not the other way around, that’s 6th October.

Now, this is in black and white by Mr Verma, has it ever been denied? No body has denied it, the CVC has not denied it, it can be verified whether he came or not on that day.

Second, the purpose was to improve the appraisal report of Mr Asthana, it is directly recorded, it is also recorded that the existing report of Asthana, was of “doubtful integrity” and the CVC simply suggested that if this is changed/ modified, everything will be “okay”. All is well, if you do what we are requesting you to do. This is written, in writing by Mr Verma, where is the denial?

Third, Mr Verma has also written, in great detail, that I could see the CVC was batting entirely for Asthana, as if Asthana was the most important person in the Government and that is why, the CVC has forgotten that he has to be vigilant for public interest, he has to be vigilant for the nation, he doesn’t have to be vigilant for Asthana, he does not have to be a puppet, a vigilant puppet, in the hands of his political masters who want Asthana in that place.

Till now, friends, we had been told that only the CBI was a “caged parrot”. We are now seeing a new ‘Vigilant slave’ of the government. The Collaborator for Violating the Constitution; The CVC. The question arises, why was he acting as he was acting? The question arises, at whose behest was he acting as he was acting? Well the answers are self evident. None except the top two people in this country, who rule this country dictatorially, can claim the power to treat and make the CVC act like a puppet, and these master puppeteers can only be doing it to hide something. To hide something like Rafale and only Rafale can make them try and make CVC act like a puppet.

I want to remind you friends, that the data and the facts in writing deserve immediate action and that action much start with the removal and the sacking of the Chief Vigilance Commissioner. I must also remind you that the CVC himself is neither the removing nor appointing authority, but yet you see the sequence of events, it shows you how he has acted as the hatchet man of the government.

Remember, on 23rd October, he abruptly cancelled his visit in the night to Denmark, abruptly. No 2, on same 23rd October, from 8pm- 12.30am they sat to draft the order of removal of Mr Alok Verma. At 12.30am or 1am, the CVC order was taken to the Ministry and the hatchet job is complete, and of course, that is the only report. The Supreme Court set it aside on the grounds that only the committee can decide not the CVC, but the same report is used by the committee to set aside the tenure of Mr Verma.

On a question about the happenings in the CVC and its impact on the Rafale issue, Dr. Singhvi said- No, it is nothing to do with the Rafale issue. The Rafale issue is so much in the public domain, where is the question of changing any stand? There is no stand required for the Rafale issue, they are facts. We have asked 10 questions, Shri Rahul Gandhi has incessantly asked 10-20 questions, those are fact based questions, there’s no stand on it. We are getting no answer except spin doctoring. There is no connection now between that stand as you call it and this issue. Today we are showing the motivation, the motive, the reason, the nefarious thinking behind the government which has led to this whole chain. Can you not see the chain?

The chain is clear, that first, let me summarise it quickly, you try to push in Asthana time and again and this starts from 2017. You push him despite adverse reports, he’s your blue eyed favourite boy. No 2, as you find that the CBI Director no less, the head of the institution is sticking to his stand, you find ways and means of removing him and before removing him, making him lame duck. No 3, around that time Rafale has reached its peak, everybody in the country, not only the Congress Party, others have come to you (CBI Director) with a complaint. No 4, midnight operation is mounted on 23rd October (2018), the tool puppet made by the government, suborned by the government, subverted by the government is a high institution called the CVC. It is the funniest irony of fate that somebody who has to be vigilant, his name is vigilance, is completely subverted. No 5, within hours at 1am he has removed (CBI Director), within a few hours of that, 5 people are transferred, 5 new people are appointed. Judgment of Supreme Court 77 days later sets aside, immediately first day adjournment refused to Mr Kharge, second day removal happens, removal happens on the same report of the CVC, exactly the same report and now it is shown that the CVC was acting as an agent of Mr Asthana and the CVC report adopts Asthana’s allegations.

I am not going to repeat myself but I have shown you that 4 out of 6 allegations, which are the only allegations made out are vague, unsubstantiated, trivial, stale. So the government, we said yesterday, that the shoulder of the CVC is first lent by the CVC happily willingly and then used by the Government to fire bullets.

Sd/-

(Vineet Punia)

Secretary

Communication Deptt.

AICC