BJP rejects demand for Advani's resignation

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, APRIL 8. The BJP has rejected the demand for resignation of Union Ministers, Mr. L. K. Advani and Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi for figuring in the CBI chargesheet in the Babri Masjid demolition case on the ground that the case cannot be compared with that filed against RJD supremo, Mr. Laloo Prasad Yadav and his wife and Bihar Chief Minister, Mrs. Rabri Devi.

``Corruption charges against Mr. Laloo Yadav and Mrs. Rabri Devi are different from the political cases against Advani and Joshi and, hence, there is no ground to demand resignation of the two ministers,`` party vice-president, Mr. J.P. Mathur, told presspersons here.

Mr. Mathur said there was no instance of any politician accused in a corruption case continuing in office since 1947 and the demand by the Congress(I) president, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, to equate the case against Mr. Laloo Yadav and his wife was a crude attempt to divert attention from hard facts.

``I may sound harsh, but I regret that Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has adopted politics of the level of Mr. Laloo and Mrs. Rabri. There is a sea of difference between cases against Mr.Advani and Mr. Joshi and that of Mrs. Rabri and Mrs. Laloo. Mrs. Rabri Devi has no moral right to continue in office following corruption charges against her,'' he said.

He said it was strange on the part of Mrs. Gandhi to have raised the issue of resignation of the two Union Ministers when leaders such as Mr. Rajesh Pilot within her party had sought the resignation of Mrs. Rabri Devi.

He denied the Congress(I) charge that the Commission was set up as part of the BJP's hidden agenda.

``We respect basic structures of the Constitution. It was under Congress rule that more than 70 Constitution amendments were carried out.''

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