India
A longtime Congress loyalist, Natarajan said she was ready to face probe into environmental clearance accorded by her during her stint as minister in the UPA government and has no plans to join any other political party after "such bitter experiences".
Updated : Jan 30, 2015, 04:12 PM IST
In a huge blow to the Congress, former Union Minister Jayanthi Natarajan on Friday quit the Congress party saying she cannot continue in the "suffocating atmosphere". Natarajan also mounted a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, claiming that she followed his directions on green nod to projects but was "vilified, humiliated and sidelined" by central leadership.
Addressing the media, Natarajan said, "It is an extremely painful moment for me, as my family has been involved with Congress since its inception. I am a fourth generation Congress worker, I come from a family which has Congress blood flowing in our veins."
Announcing her resignation from primary membership of Congress party, she said, "Congress is no more the party which I had joined. I am thankful to my party for whatever opportunities were given to me to serve the nation and the party."
Natarajan further said, "I have no issues with State party at all, I was sidelined by the National High Command."
Also read: Highlights from Jayanthi Natarajan's letter to Sonia Gandhi
A longtime Congress loyalist, Natarajan said she was ready to face probe into environmental clearance accorded by her during her stint as minister in the UPA government and has no plans to join any other political party after "such bitter experiences".
Virtually opening a can of worms, she accused Rahul Gandhi's office of planting stories to sully her reputation after she had resignaed as Environment Minister on the direction of Sonia Gandhi.
"Specific inputs were received from the office of Rahul Gandhi based on the representation by NGOs raising environment concerns on certain large projects," she said suggesting that the Congress Vice-President had interfered in the decision making process.
Also read: After Jayanthi Natarajan's charge, Arun Jaitley seeks review of UPA projects
"I have done no wrong. I am willing to be hanged or go to jail if any concrete proof of my wrongdoing is established," Natarajan said.
She also said that as a minister in UPA-II, she did not want to attack Narendra Modi on snoopgate issue but was told that the party at the highest level wanted her to do so.
In a letter to Sonia Gandhi, published on Friday in national daily The Hindu , Natarajan has said, "Over the last 11 months I have undergone untold mental and physical agony, as a result of this incident. I have major health issues due to my tension and humiliation over the treatment meted out to me, and my future looks bleak. More importantly, I need to save the legacy of my family or children and my future generations will not forgive me."