The PTr press briefing was an expected event on Wednesday 27th July. Dr. Navin Ramgoolam took this opportunity to comment on the high-profile Jacotet Bay Survey case, which he baptised as Bechwagate, to denounce that the Immigration Bill is unconstitutional for the PTr, to announce a protest against Pravind Jugnauth’s alleged high treason but above all, to denounce that the PM lied to the Parliament about the phone call made by his wife, Veena Ramgoolam.
Two PTr events announced
Dr Navin Ramgoolam began his press briefing by announcing two major events: the PTr’s big rally for Sunday 28 August at the Trianon Convention Centre in Ebony and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam’s birthday on 18 September at Kewal Nagar.
Bechwagate and protest in preparation
He was quick to elaborate on ‘Bechwagate’, the alleged theft of Data from Jacotet Bay and its seriousness. “We are planning a big protest in front of the Parliament, and we call on all Opposition forces and all those concerned about their freedom to come together and protest against this high treason by Pravind Jugnauth. We are liaising with the other major political parties. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday 28 July between the leader of the Labour Party (PTr), Navin Ramgoolam, the leader of the MMM, Paul Bérenger and the leader of the PMSD, Xavier-Luc Duval as well as Arvin Boolell. “This demonstration was scheduled for Thursday 28 July but was refused by the CP, because the letter of request was sent on 25 July and did not respect the 7-day protocol prior to the set date.”
“We promise to get the Immigration Bill removed”
On the Immigration Bill, Dr Ramgoolam clearly stated “I consider this Bill to be unconstitutional and against all the conventions we have signed. We promise to have the Immigration Bill removed“. The Immigration Bill was passed with amendments in the National Assembly on Tuesday 26 July, but in the absence of the Parliamentary Opposition.
Phone call: “It was Pravind Jugnauth who called my wife”
The part that caught the attention was Pravind Jugnauth’s outburst yesterday about Navin Ramgoolam’s wife, which has caused great discord. “I don’t understand why he did this. I am saddened by his baseness. I think he was trying to divert attention from the two strong cases of price increases and high treason – bechwagate, as my comrades Osman and Aumeer have been talking about in the press. I believe that he has made this issue go away. Every draw needs a representative and this time, Patrice Armance was absent as he is on a trip to Rodrigues,” he said.
“It is totally false to say that my wife phoned him. My wife had nothing to do with anything that has been mentioned. She has an exemplary discretion, and it is known that she has never interfered in political or parliamentary affairs. Why bring her into this? Besides, Pravind Jugnauth has repeated it three times. He lied; my wife never called him.” He went back to the events while he was admitted in clinic and the repeated delay of planes, the steps taken by Dr Farhad Aumeer, among others. He also talked about how he was upset and preferred to go home to River Walk, “I didn’t want to die at the clinic. It was Pravind Jugnauth who called me and asked me why I was angry with him. I told him I was angrier at the people around him…“. He also went back to Dhaneshwar Damree’s interventions and the moment Veena Ramgoolam learnt of her husband’s critical condition. “While Veena was on her way to the clinic, Pravind Jugnauth called the Bodyguard who accompanied my wife, as he did not manage to reach her at home. It was then that my wife spoke to him. He explained the process to her, and my wife thanked him wholeheartedly.” Navin Ramgoolam said that all these phone calls are traceable. He also added that “Pravind Jugnauth lied a lot during this parliamentary session about my wife, Jacotet Bay, Patrick Assirvaden, in particular. Pravind Jugnauth has fallen into an unprecedented baseness“. He recalled an episode where Dinesh Ramjuttun had criticized Lady Jugnauth, “I held him by the collar to call him back to order and tell him that within my party, we do not engage in such attacks and baseness“. Dr. Ramgoolam took up a passage from the Baghwad Geeta to illustrate a point on the sayings and doings of Pravind Jugnauth, but also on his tendencies: “Vin-a-sh Ka-le Vip-rit Bu-ddhi, that is, He whom God wants to destroy, he makes him mad first,” he said. This passage also translates into ‘As he approaches his decline, his intellect works against his interest’. He thanked Navin Unoop for supporting him on the issue of his wife and criticized the other socio-cultural organisations for their silence!
