Singhvi resigns as Congress spokesperson

NEW DELHI, April 24, 2012

Abhishek Manu Singhvi resigned on Monday as Congress spokesperson and Chairperson of Parliament\'s Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice, days after a video involving the high-profile lawyer went viral on social media sites.



In a statement, the recently re-nominated 53-year-old Rajya Sabha member said he had informed Congress president Sonia Gandhi of his decision, and stepped down "to prevent even the slightest possible Parliamentary disruption."



"Since I am a disciplined party soldier, I did not think it fit to subject the party to any inconvenience. All allegations are patently baseless and false," he insisted.



On April 13, the Delhi High Court issued an injunction against publishing, broadcasting, disseminating or distributing a CD containing the video. The injunction, however, was widely defied on the Internet.



"A canard"



Mr. Singhvi described claims that the video included him making an inappropriate offer of judicial office as "a canard." "People inimically opposed to me," he asserted, "who have assiduously spent over 10 days hearing, seeing, amplifying and distilling the CD, have found no vestige of any reference… to any illegality, corrupt practice, or wrongdoing."



He added that the video disclosed "only something private and consensual giving a cause of action only to aggrieved family members [who have stood completely by me]."



"Right step"



Meanwhile, Congress media chairperson Janardan Dwivedi, describing Mr. Singhvi\'s resignation as "the right step," said it had been done "on the basis of whatever situation has come to the fore."



Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, however, suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party would press the issue further. "This is a serious matter and the party has so far restrained itself from speaking on the issue. I hope Parliament will get an explanation from him on his decision to resign."


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