'Exposure highly damaging'

By Our Staff Correspondent

BHOPAL, MARCH 13. The ``exposure'' by Tehalka.com of ``involvement'' of some top politicians and senior bureaucrats in shady arms deals, which was widely seen on television today, is being described by people here as highly damaging for the image of the country as well as the Central Government and the political parties involved in it.

There was considerable excitement in the Congress camp here this afternoon as the word spread about the exposure, particularly the television footage of Tehalka.com showing the Bharatiya Janata Party president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, receiving money across the table.

The telephones rang endlessly this afternoon to draw the attention of Congress leaders and the State Ministers, even as some of them were enjoying their afternoon siesta, about the massive exposure by a dotcom company relating to Defence deals.

When contacted, a State Minister told this correspondent that the latest expose showed the true face of the BJP and its allies. The culmination of this scam would be the ``end of the road'' for the BJP, he said.

When senior bureaucrats were contacted for reaction, some of them were of the view that the entire exposure needed a thorough examination regarding its credibility. A senior bureaucrat said: ``But whatever it is, it causes a lot of damage to the institutions and persons whose alleged wrong dealings have been exposed.'' The parties concerned and the Government shall have to look deep into the whole affair, including the motive behind this expose and the conduct of various Government functionaries who have been shown with arms traders. Similarly, the conduct of some political functionaries, whose task it is to collect party funds needs serious examination, it is being said here.

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Section  : National
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