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PM snubs Swamy, calls Rajan patriot

In an interview to a private news channel, without taking the name of Swamy, the Prime Minister conveyed that the comments made by the party leader were “inappropriate.”

“Whether it is in my party or not, still I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong,” the Prime Minister told the channel. Without taking the name of Swamy, Prime Minister was asked about the comments of “your Rajya Sabha MP” in the context of Raghuram Rajan and asked whether it was appropriate.

The political circles are agog with the development as on Monday morning itself a national daily had carried  a report claiming that Jaitley wanted the party to act and stop Swamy from targeting him and officials of his ministry. Attributed to sources close to Jaitley, it was mentioned that “Swamy’s threats through tweets cannot be dismissed as an independent voice since he happens to be a party member.” Jaitley returned to the national Capital after a visit to China.

What probably rubbed Jaitley the wrong way was Swamy saying that he cared two figs for the Finance Minister and he took his brief from the Prime Minister. “Jaitleyji kya bole, kya nahi bole iss se mujhe kya lena dena (What do I have to do with what Jaitley said or did not say). I speak to Prime Minister and the (BJP) party president when required,” he had told the reporters when Jaitley through the twitter defended his Ministry officials, whom Swamy relentlessly attacked.

Less than 12 hours after Jaitley made his intent on taking up the matter within the party and government known, the private channel was out with the exclusive interview of the Prime Minister where he disapproved of Subramanian Swamy’s attacks on RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and some top finance ministry officials saying they are “inappropriate”. Calling Rajan “no less patriotic”, he virtually ticked off Swamy saying “if anybody considers himself above the system then it is wrong.”

Jaitley loyalists in the party had been complaining for some time that the Finance Minister was once again left to plough a lonely furrow as was the case when Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had brought charges of corrupt practices against him as the president of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA). They also pointed out that neither the Prime Minister nor the BJP president had come forth to admonish Swamy even when the Tamil Nadu leader went to the extent almost calling the Finance Minister a waiter.

In the absence of any clear signal from the leadership, a large section of the party did not bother to condemn Swamy or launch a strong defence of Jaitley. They took the line that Swamy was the master of his own mind.
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