We have listed below some interesting statements made by Indian political leaders during December 2008.
In December 2008, the main news covered the results of the Assembly Elections in six states.
“I am thankful to you for giving the NC a chance to rule,”
National Conference President, Omar Abdullah, Dec 29, 2008
“We are a party of economically weak and downtrodden people, without any kind of support from industrialists and businessmen, who are patrons of other political parties like the Congress, Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We therefore depend on contribution from supporters, who donate to the party funds on my birthday.”
UP Chief Minister, Mayawati, justifying the fund collection for her birthday bash, Dec 25, 2008
“This is beyond my comprehension why Karkare didn’t go to Taj, Oberoi or Nariman House where the terrorists were holed up. Why he chose to go to a different place”.
Union Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay, Dec 17, 2008
“Our silence should not be misconstrued as our weakness,”
P M Manmohan Singh, Dec 14, 2008
“Pakistan has to hand over those using its soil to spread Terror in India and award exemplary punishment to those directly involved in the Mumbai attacks on November 26,”
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Dec 13, 2008.
“People from their soil were indulging in mass murder in India. I have played cricket. I know the spirit of cricket. Cricket is not commerce. Is it possible for one team to arrive in Mumbai and indulge in mass murder and have another team go and play cricket in the winter afternoon sun at Lahore immediately after?”
Union Sports Minister M.S. Gill, Dec 12, 2008
“I apologise to the people of the country that this dastardly act could not be prevented,”
PM Manmohan Singh, Dec 11, 2008
“Terror and national security are important but not necessarily for elections. We don’t do politics on the issue of terror. The Lok Sabha elections too would be fought primarily on local issues, where terror may have a tad greater role,”
BJP President, Rajnath Singh, Dec 9, 2008
“The common people of Rajasthan were terrorised under Raje’s rule. Now their mandate is to put her shadow of terror behind,”
Congress Leader from Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, Dec 8, 2008
“This is the verdict for change and a big snub to the 10-year-old misrule and corruption of the MNF government,”
Congress CM Candidate in Mizoram, Lalthanhawla, Dec 8, 2008
“We went to the polls on the development ground with honesty and unity, and people have voted for that,”
Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, Dec 8, 2008
“It is sad. The results have been depressing in Rajasthan,”
BJP party spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad, Dec 8, 2008. Early counting indicated a loss for BJP in Rajasthan.
“It is, however, worrying that a neighbouring state might even consider acting on the basis of such a hoax call, try to give it credibility with other states, and confuse the public by releasing the story in part,”
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Dec 7, 2008
“Today we are witnessing an unacceptable rise in intolerance. Our society seems more divided, more angry and tragically more violent,”
PM, Manmohan Singh, Dec 6, 2008
“ If I wish, I can prevent the new government from taking charge or topple it when it is formed. It is not in a majority and I can prove it on the floor of the house, even if the opposition does not seek a trust vote,”
Narayan Rane, Dec 6, 2008. Congress I suspended the leader from the party, after he went against the party high command.
“I will give up my NSG cover if L K Advani is also prepared to do so,”
Lalu Prasad Yadav, Dec 6,2008
“India is the only country in the world where kerosene is cheaper than mineral water,”
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, Dec 5, 2008. He announced a price cut for petrol and Kerosene.
“I have accepted moral responsibility for Mumbai terror attacks. In a democracy one has to honour people’s anguish and anger,”
Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Dec 4, 2008
“Whatever information we have received up to now that has been shared with them and we have pointed out that elements in Pakistan are responsible. If elements in Pakistan are responsible, then it is the responsibility of the Pakistan government to take action against those elements.”
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Dec 3, 2008
“It seems Captain Amarinder Singh has lost his mental balance after his being proved big failures as Good Chief Minister and as Good Husband (due to his affairs with Pak National woman)“,
Sukhbir Badal, President of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Dec 2 2008
“Some women wearing lipstick and powder have taken to streets in Mumbai and are abusing politicians, thus spreading dissatisfaction against democracy. This is what terrorists are doing in Jammu and Kashmir,”
BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Dec 1 2008
“It was for Sandeep (Unnikrishnan) I had gone, otherwise even a dog wouldn’t have visited them. I never expected this. A soldier’s father should have displayed better behavior.”
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan , Dec 1 2008
<Note: The CM later apologized for this comment. >
“The fact is that Congress has a tradition of having dummy home ministers for the comfort of its leadership. While the arrangement suits the leader, it leaves the nation unprotected,”
BJP general secretary, Arun Jaitley, Dec 1, 2008
January 2nd, 2009 | Tags: Elections, Neta Vox, State Assembly Elections 2008 | Category: BSP, Development, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Elections, L K Advani, MNS, Mayawati, NDA/BJP, National Conference, National Security, Raj Thackeray, Samajwadi Party, Sonia Gandhi, UPA/Congress | Leave a comment
National Conference announced today that it would be forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir with Farooq Abdullah’s son, Omar Abdullah becoming the Chief Minister.