NAC files out, but Congress says Sonia was no super PM'
Randeep Surjewala said that the files in question were from a time when Mrs Gandhi was not the chairperson of the council.
New Delhi: After the Central government released 710 files relating to the National Advisory Council (NAC), the Congress party dismissed suggestions that Sonia Gandhi, who was chairperson of the council, acted as “super Prime Minister” during the UPA regime.
Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the files in question were from a time when Mrs Gandhi was not the chairperson of the council.
The question was put to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the Punjab Congress manifesto release function, but Mr Surjewala chose to answer it.
Mr Surjewala said that Mr Singh, who was then PM, gave the suggestions of the NAC legal shape through his “visionary thinking”.
Mrs Gandhi, he said, had not been with the NAC from March 2006 to June 2010 when it was reconstituted.
He added that the NAC mechanism had helped the oppressed and had been pivotal in the making of many important legislations like RTI, Right for Food, Right to Forest Produce and Right to Education.
The Central government made public 710 files related to the NAC that gave an insight of the relationship with the Council headed by Mrs Gandhi.
The files made public show how suggestions were given, officers were summoned and compliance reports were being sought by the NAC.
The files also show that Mr Singh as Prime Minister carried out the recommendations given by Sonia Gandhi, whose word was accorded top priority.