Accept Fernandes' resignation: Mamata

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI, MARCH 14. The Railway Minister and leader of the Trinamool Congress, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, today threatened to ``reconsider her party's continuing support to the NDA Government'' if her demands, including resignation of the Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, were not accepted.

In a three-page letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, she said Mr. Fernandes had offered to resign owning ``moral responsibility'' in the ``highest traditions of democratic functioning.'' But then came the sting in her letter, for she added that ``his resignation should be accepted pending investigation.'' The letter was written after a meeting of her party MPs early this morning where all issues relating to the scandal were discussed threadbare and the strategy worked out.

It is not clear what steps she will take now, as the resignation demand has been rejected by the NDA which felt that the incriminating tapes had mentioned the names of ``many Ministers'' and there was no question of getting them all to resign. It is also to be seen what she does in West Bengal where she has tied up with the BJP for the assembly elections next month. With the BJP president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman (who has now resigned), caught taking money by spy cameras, she knows her rivals in the Left Front will make the most of it.

Ms. Banerjee has clearly stated that her party would be ``left with no alternative'' but to ``reconsider continuing support to the NDA Government'' if Mr. Vajpayee failed to respond positively to her demands.

She has also pointed out that since the issue involved sensitive defence deals, ``all the officials named in the video footage must not continue in office.'' Besides, hinting at the PMO itself, Ms. Banerjee said: `` specific allegations have also been made in the video footage and the transcription against certain highly-placed officials. The whole nation is convinced about the integrity of the honourable Prime Minister. No bureaucrat should be allowed to tarnish that.''

Although she did not name Mr. Brajesh Mishra, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, the reference to the high official has left no one in doubt that she indeed had him in mind.

Besides, she demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, or by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or the CBI. Of course, in that she was in tune with the rest of the NDA and the Government. The NDA has already said that it was ready for any kind of probe or inquiry which the Opposition may demand or agree on.

Pointedly, the Trinamool leader has said that every passing hour without appropriate action by the Government was doing ``irreparable damage to the image of the Government and the country internationally,'' and urgent and firm steps needed to be taken forthwith.

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