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Cong is no longer same party I joined: Top quotes from Jayanthi's press con

January 30, 2015 13:10 IST

After announcing her resignation from the Congress and submitting a bomb of a letter in which she launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, former environment minister and Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natrajan put forward her feelings during a press conference.

Senior Congress leader and former environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan at the press conference.

Here’s what she said:

  1. I come from a family which has Congress blood flowing in her veins. It is a way of life for us. It is an extremely anguished moment that it has come to a situation where I have to rethink my association with the Congress

  2. Congress now is no longer the party I joined, time to rethink my 30-year long association

  3. Without a single blemish I have served the party, I served country and the party to the best of my capabilities

  4. It was my duty to make sure that every single step I took, no matter how popular/unpopular was to preserve environment

  5. I received several requests, memorandums from Cong VP. I was asked by his office to protect, preserve environment

  6. Many of my colleagues in the Cabinet protested strongly against the decision. I had to face anger and wrath of Cabinet members many times, but I stood by the decisions as I took Rahul’s word as that based on party line

  7. I was totally sidelined by the national high command, had no problem with the state party

  8. Some large projects were blocked by me as they could harm the environment as per party line. All this made me stall projects -- Vedanta, Niyamgiri; in which Rahul Gandhi told tribals he will be their sipahi, Nirma project

  9. Rahul spoke against my decisions in a FICCI conference. I called him up ask why he said it because all my decisions were based on the his directives. Even a murderer is heard, is what I told him, but Rahul said he will talk to me later

  10. Till date, no one from the high command -- Rahul or Sonia Gandhi -- has replied to my letters or answered my questions

  11. I have not done anything wrong. If I am wrong hang me, but prove it

  12. Cannot survive in a suffocating environment. I hereby resign from the primary membership of the Congress party, will send my resignation soon

  13. Want to uphold the legacy of my family, my integrity, I only did the right thing for my country, committed no wrongdoing