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Naked display of money power, says CPI

Mulayam Singh

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India on Tuesday termed shameful the alleged offer of bribe to three BJP members of Parliament and said the incident highlighted the notorious role of money power in the polity.

“It is very shameful. It is a naked display of money power which has brought un-measurable disrespect to the democracy,” CPI national secretary D. Raja told PTI here.

“This is what the CPI and the Left have been warning about the notorious role played by money power in our polity. It is a matter of concern for all political parties.”

Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, however, termed the allegation a “drama” staged by the Bharatiya Janata Party when it was about to be “exposed for offering money” to Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Pappu Yadav.

D.Raja

Mr. Prasad alleged that a senior BJP leader had met Mr. Pappu Yadav in the Tihar jail here and offered him Rs. 7 crore for voting against the government.

“These [allegations of offering money to BJP MPs] were all false and planted by the Opposition parties. Narco-tests should be conducted on the three BJP members who levelled the allegations. They should be arrested,” Mr. Prasad told journalists.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh claimed that it was a conspiracy by the BJP and its leaders to defame his party and topple the government.

He claimed that Rs. 1 crore could not be stuffed in such a small bag produced by the three BJP members in the House.

Mr. Singh demanded the immediate arrest of BJP MP Ashok Agarwal, who made the allegation, and an inquiry into his charge. The SP leader said the fingerprints on the bags should be examined.

Mr. Singh alleged that the BJP, by its “smear” campaign, had “defamed” the Lok Sabha.

“The BJP wants to revert its defeat in the confidence motion and is conspiring against us. We ourselves will probe this issue. A team of 56 members of the SP will investigate the matter, only after that the truth will come out,” Mr. Singh said. He requested the Speaker to “duly listen to our MPs” to go into the depth of the matter. He alleged that the National Democratic Alliance government had made an attempt to bribe SP MPs in 1998.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said Prime Minister “Manmohan Singh should resign on moral grounds. This is a black day in the history of democracy.”

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister told journalists that the method adopted by the Congress to save its government was a “setback for democracy.”

Senior BSP leader Satish Mishra said President Pratibha Patil should dismiss the government. He said Dr. Singh claimed that the talk of bribing MPs was false and demanded proof. “Now, we have the proof.”

Congress leader Ahmed Patel, who was accused by one of the BJP members of having been involved in the deal, said his party and his name were dragged into the controversy as it could be an Opposition strategy to avoid the trust vote for fear of defeat.

Mr. Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, said: “I am ready to quit public life if someone proves that I bribed the MPs.”

Congress spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan rejected the Opposition demand for Dr. Singh’s resignation on “unsubstantiated and uncalled for charges.”

Congress leader and Union Minister Ashwini Kumar said, “It was a drama to prevent the voting. The money was planted by those who know that they will lose. The kind of example that has been set in Parliament is unfortunate.”

Union Science and Technology Minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal demanded an investigation and said there was a “political agenda” behind the incident. The BJP MPs concerned should have filed a police complaint first instead of rushing to the House, he said. — PTI

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