Left criticises probe into expose

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH. 24. The Left parties today objected to the setting up of a judicial inquiry and also the one-man probe ordered by the Defence Ministry following the Tehelka expose. The CPI(M) demanded immediate suspension of all the officers implicated and that criminal prosecution be launched against them.

The party's politburo charged that the Government instead of quitting, owning responsibility for the `largescale corruption', was busy organising a `cover-up'.

The decision by Mr. Jaswant Singh, now in charge of the Defence Ministry, to set up a one-man inquiry is ``both suspect and objectionable'' as a Joint Secretary from the Ministry was expected to probe the conduct of senior officers, including an Additional Secretary.

This was similar to the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry by a retired judge which would only delay and obfuscate matters.

The CPI said what was required was action against those named in the tapes. ``The question is what is the inquiry about. Will it be an inquiry on the tehelka.com against which the leading lights of this Government are screaming,'' the party's Central Secretariat asked in a statement.

It charged that the Prime Minister was defending his confidants in the PMO who acted on his behalf. The Government should order a ``cleaning-up operation'' and resign rather than try to ward off the inevitable and pretend it was business as usual.

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Section  : National
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