'Cong. signature list forged'

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, AUG. 26. The former Chief Minister and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Mr. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, has accused the Congress of submitting a forged list of signatures to the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, on the tehelka.com issue in June last.

``This is perhaps the biggest-ever forged document prepared in the country. It is a serious matter that such a forged document was presented to the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, requesting action'', he said referring to the party's country-wide campaign which resulted in a truck load of papers claimed to be carrying about 6.25-crore signatures.

In a letter to Mr. Narayanan, he said, ``Your Excellency would definitely appreciate that it does not behove the Congress to trivialise the entire issue and stoop to the extent of presenting a fabricated document before the President of India.''

Talking to newspersons here today, Mr. Shekhawat said the claim that 71,16,000 persons from the State alone had either signed or affixed their thumb impression was a give away. ``At the peak of its popularity when the party got 153 seats out of 200 in the 1998 Assembly elections, the Congress vote share was 83.40 lakh of a total of a 3.01 crore electorate.''

During the signature campaign, the popularity of the Congress was at the lowest ebb as there had been a steep hike in power rates and people were under severe duress due to the third year of drought. Even the Chief Minister, Mr. Ashok Gehlot, had to face protests from an irate mob of farmers in Maulasar village of Nagaur district in January.

``In this ground scenario of utter disenchantment with the State Government, it is nearly impossible to motivate and procure as many thousands of signatures/thumb impressions, let alone 71 lakhs as has been claimed while submitting the memorandum'', the letter said.

Even the average Congressman, leave alone the ordinary citizen, was not aware of the complex nuances of the Tehelka episode. ``Moreover, the Congress workers (can) hardly be expected to be motivated in procuring as many signatures, as has been claimed to have been obtained, on account of utter ineptitude and complete non-performance of the State Government'', Mr. Shekhawat said.

However, he confessed that though the letter was written on July 30, so far there had been no reply from the President. ``I would appreciate it if the President makes available to us either the documents or their photocopies so that we can verify the signatures'', he said.

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Section  : National
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