Ram and Soli correspondence bare their acerbic ties

Ram and Soli correspondence bare their acerbic ties
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, July 30: The correspondence between Attorney General Soli Sorabjee and Ram Jethmalani, before being sacked as Law Minister, portrays the acerbic nature of the relationship shared by them.

Their correspondence, put on India Today's website, contains harsh language and brings out their bitterness over appointment and removal of lawyers on Government panel, their views on telecom issue and on who should exercise control over the Law Secretary. Yet both never forget to recall their friendsip lasting nearly 50 years.

Jethmalani, replying to Sorabjee on February 22, 2000, had written "I do not share your view of your own role, power or jurisdiction. You have no business to make such judgements on the working of my ministry or any part of the Government."

Sorabjee had earlier written to Jethmalani on February 16 saying "I was informed that in the Cabinet meeting relating to the telecom policy you made disparaging remarks about my opinion and questioned my capacity to deal with financial matters. Was that a friendly act?"

Sorabjee went on to say, "It pained me to read the contents of your letter and gave me no pleasure in penning the reply. Hopefully there should be no occasion in future for such correspondence. I am willing to raise a toast to that in the choicest of liquers."

Jethmalani replied "I hope this sorry correspondence will come to an end and we will get on to some more serious things which I am sure await both of us."