Arvind Subramanian can relax, Modi govt won't risk another Swamy diktat

In the previous Budget session of Parliament – when there was pandemonium in the Rajya Sabha over Subramanian Swamy’s provocative remarks against Sonia Gandhi – one of the prominent leaders from the Congress benches had cautioned the BJP that, ’today the ruling party members may be relishing but wait for another day and it would be their time to rue over Swamy’s nomination as an MP’. The Congress leader’s prophecy proved to be right. It is the BJP’s time to find cover. The ‘asset’ in Rajya Sabha, who could take on the Sonia Gandhi-Rahul Gandhi duo and the entire Congress cadre with his one-liner facts – which he gathers through unknown sources and research – has suddenly turned into a liability of sorts. His recent disparaging remarks on chief economic advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian – based on some purported remarks that the CEA had made to the US Congress in 2013 – with the two-word closing punch of “sack him”, have come as a surprise bombing, that too from within the BJP. Its ripple effects would last long in North Block at Raisina hill, the seat of power of the finance ministry; its side effects will echo in the South Block as well, where the Prime Minister’s Office is housed. The BJP didn’t know how to handle Swamy’s latest salvo aimed against Arvind Subramanian, a person who was appointed as CEA with dignity by his own government, and was even being considered for the post of RBI governor. [caption id=“attachment_2848836” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Arvind Subramanian. PIB[/caption] The only thing, then, that the BJP could do was to distance itself with Swamy’s statement. The idea was to contain the damage. Party national secretary Shrikant Sharma said that Swamy’s remarks did not reflect the party’s opinion, and that it could be his own view. An hour later, the finance minister decided to brief an official press conference about the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting. Ravi Shankar Prasad was also present to address the media on the subject, so Jaitley’s presence as such was not really required. But he came there nonetheless, knowing very well that the media’s interest would be in seeking out a headline – on how he responds to Swamy’s surprise attack on his CEA. He came prepared for that, perhaps only to make the government’s and his own position clear. A charge of this magnitude, that too from someone from inside the ruling clan, could not go unchallenged by the government. It was important for the leadership to put a lid on the controversy to any extent possible. Jaitley rejected Swamy’s charge without getting into the specific charges levelled by the Rajya Sabha MP against the CEA, he said, “The government has full confidence in chief economic advisor Mr Subramanian…His suggestions from time to time are of great value…Party has said that we don’t share Mr Swamy’s view…Constraint of their offices prevents some people (the CEA) from responding.” The leadership in Modi government was obviously aware of Subramanian’s opinion on IPR issues before he was appointed to the CEA post in October 2014. The BJP could manage to deal with Swamy’s diatribe against RBI chief Raghuram Rajan, though it was mindful of the fact that the MP’s statements had placed the party in bad light, and polarised a number of economists and influential writers against the government while turning Rajan into a super hero. The BJP was not in agreement with some of the actions and statements made by Rajan but still it didn’t want to invite unnecessary controversy and had the thought of giving a graceful exit to him. Thus, BJP president Amit Shah was categorical in asserting that Swamy’s views were not the party’s views. Jaitley and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu too negated Swamy’s statements. That Swamy and Jaitley don’t share a cordial relationship is known to everyone. The list of Swamy’s grudges against Jaitley is long – including the fact that Jaitley blocked his candidature to contest the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Delhi. When Swamy was nominated as Rajya Sabha MP, Jaitley was not kept in the loop. Remember, Jaitley is the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha. But on the floor of the House, Jaitley stood for Swamy and strongly defended his right to speak on a subject in the manner he so chose to speak. Swamy was taken to be a Parivar (the RSS) nominee in Rajya Sabha. He made it no secret that he wanted the BJP to nominate him to Parliament and give him a ministerial position. When Swamy was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, there were many in the BJP who were apprehensive of his unhindered, outspoken character whereby he could target anyone unmindful of its consequences on the party. But then again, there was broad unanimity on the fact that his commitment to the Hindutva cause was unflinching, and that his commitment to fight it out against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi was absolute – which was liked by the RSS. That, however, had still left open the question as to who will tame Swamy, if need be. That question is being raised again now. Will it be Prime Minister Modi, or party president Amit Shah, or someone from the RSS that will get to do the honours. Only two days ago, while pulling an ‘Arvind Kejriwal’ on Kejriwal at Kejriwal’s residence, Swamy had said that his next target after Raghuram Rajan (who would vacate his post as RBI governor in September) was Arvind Kejriwal. He stated that he was in the process of collecting facts to expose the admission of the Delhi chief minister to IIT Khargpur on considerations other than merit. But within the next 48 hours, he turned his guns to CEA Arvind Subramanian. From the same venue at Civil Lines – the official residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal – Swamy had taken on Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, claiming that he still took directions from Sonia Gandhi and the Congress party. That was contrary to BJP’s unofficial position. Again, Jung is perceived to have developed a proximity with Jaitley. In Jung’s case, the BJP leadership is generally happy with the way he has kept Kejriwal under constant pressure. He has mostly done it the way that BJP would have liked. More so, Jung has proved to be an asset for two reasons – first, that he is a Muslim and second, that his professed views lean to the left and not to the right of centre. A supposed Leftist Muslim taking on Kejriwal is always good for the BJP, it couldn’t have asked for more. Swamy sought to disturb that arrangement. Swamy may not be able to damage Arvind Subramanian’s position, but the Modi government simply cannot afford to be seen working on Swamy’s diktats. But the Rajya Sabha MP can surely dent the image of the party he has so painstakingly striven to be a part of.