New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Congress
spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi`s appearance in Supreme
Court opposing a ban on Endosulfan on Friday created a controversy
with party leaders from Kerala disapproving of his action and
a senior leader even demanding his removal.
Senior leader VM Sudheeran said in Malappuram that
Singhvi should be removed as party spokesperson for appearing
in the Endosulfan case.
Last year too Singhvi had stirred a controversy when he
appeared in the Kerala High Court in a lottery case, which was
strongly objected to by the party`s state unit as it had
launched a campaign against promoters of lotteries from
outside the state.
Singhvi was briefly barred from holding media briefings
after senior Kerala leaders had complained to the AICC,
prompting him to withdraw from the case.
Sudheeran said propriety demands that Singhvi, a senior
advocate, should voluntarily step down as party spokesperson.
KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said that it was
"wrong" on the part of Singhvi to have appeared in the apex
court in the Endosulfan case so long as he is spokesperson of
the Congress. He said the state leaders will be complaining on
the issue with the party high command.
As an advocate there was nothing wrong in Singhvi`s
appearing in the case "but he should have avoided since he is
the national spokesperson of the Congress", Chennithala said.
Congress in Kerala has been demanding a nationwide ban on
Endosulfan and several party MPs and central ministers from
the state met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today seeking such
a ban.
Singhvi, however, said he was supporting the government
stand in the court.
"If my friends in Kerala had bothered to check, they would
have realised that the facts are totally different. I was
hundred percent supporting the Government of India`s stand.
Secondly, we were seeking only export permission and no
domestic production or sale," he said.
PTI
