Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's former Media Advisor Sanjaya Baru on Saturday defended his 'memoir' saying that the people have a right to know what happens in the highest levels of government in the process of decision making.
Sanjay Baru, who was the media advisor to Dr.Manmohan Singh from 2004 to 2008, has in the publication authored by him 'Manmohan Singh: The Accidental Prime Minister' pointed out that that Dr. Manmohan Singh had accepted the suggestions made by Sonia Gandhi, the head of the Congress party. "I think the people of this country have a right to know what happens within the highest levels of government in decision making. I think this was the thinking underlining the philosophy of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, that the people have a right to information," Baru said.
He said that his book is written on the premise that the people have a right to know about all the successes and failures of Dr. Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister. "I think nobody can question the motive. It was very clear that to record for posterity what I saw when I was in the government. I wish more people in India and in government write such books. It is a healthy tradition abroad of writing memoirs based on one's role played in government," Baru added.
Baru has claimed in his memoir that Singh had reportedly told him that there cannot be two power centres in a government.
Meanwhile, in a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office, Dr. Singh's current Media Advisor Pankaj Pachauri said about the book: "It is an attempt to misuse a privileged position and access to high office to gain credibility and to apparently exploit it for commercial gain. The commentary smacks of fiction and coloured views of a former adviser."
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