Naidu calls for independent probe

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 14. The Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, has called for an independent investigation into the sensational dotcom disclosures involving the BJP president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman, prominent leaders of the NDA and others.

In a guarded reaction to the Delhi happenings, Mr. Naidu told the media on Wednesday that the probe by an independent agency should bring out the truth and the guilty be brought to book. He said the incident caused serious concern. Everybody should be concerned about the interests of the nation, he said, in implied reference to criticism about defence deals that compromised the national security. The Government of India should initiate action and punish the guilty on the basis of the independent enquiry (he did not elaborate on the nature of the probe). The Telugu Desam would formulate its stand on the issue after the enquiry.

Has not the NDA image taken a beating as a result? Will the Telugu Desam follow the Trinamool Congress path of distancing from the NDA until its name was cleared by the probe? Mr. Naidu said the TDP and the Trinamool Congress could not be placed on the same footing. ``Unlike them, we are not part of the NDA Government. We support it from the outside. We do not attend their meetings.''Mr. Naidu, who was subject of Tehelka.com disclosures himself recently, did not volunteer to field more questions from the media as he normally does.

The Leader of the Opposition, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, welcomed Mr. Naidu's call for an independent probe and adroitly turned the tables against the Chief Minister that he, too, should face a similar enquiry into the charges reported by the same website recently.

At a press conference, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy said the disclosures were 'mind-boggling' and held a mirror to the reign of corruption at high places in the Government. A probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court was necessary since the allegations against Mr. Chandrababu Naidu were no less serious, be it the transactions relating to Kakinada and Gangavaram ports, power projects or the liquor scam. ``We hope he will agree to face an enquiry.''

The Congress leader said the stink raised by the Delhi revelations did not just confine to the BJP president or the Samata Party chief, but showed in what state of mess the defence set-up was.

Dr. Reddy said the Prime Minister should have resigned by now. He should at least order an enquiry that would satisfy everyone. ``The onus of clearing the name of his Government lies solely on him.''

Predictably, Tehelka.com was the talking point everywhere and in the Assembly lobbies. Ministers were discussing the fall-out of the disclosures on the BJP and as its ally, the Telugu Desam itself. Mr. N. Narasimhaiah, CPI(M) MLA, said it was time the Telugu Desam dumped the BJP.

Vajpayee Govt. asked to quit

The Youth Congress, CPI and CPI(M) parties staged demonstrations against the NDA Government, demanding that the Vajpayee Government resign, on the basis of the revelations.

CPI(M) workers burnt an effigy of the ``corrupt NDA Govt.'' at the RTC Cross roads. Mr. B. V. Raghavulu, Secretary of the State Committee, said that the NDA Government had lost its moral right to govern as the revelations showed the extent of corruption that had steeped into the defence deals.

CPI workers proceeding to Raj Bhavan to present a memorandum to the Governor, demanding immediate resignation of the NDA Government, were arrested. Mr. S. Sudhakara Reddy, Secretary of the AP council, called upon the CPI units to conduct processions and public meetings allover the State to focus public attention on the defence scandal.

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