Bid to target ex-MPs in cash-for-votes scandal: Naidu
Hyderabad, Sep 10 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M. Venkaiah Naidu Saturday condemned the Congress-led central government's attempt to target former BJP MPs who, he said, exposed the cash-for-votes scandal that rocked parliament during a trust vote in 2008.
Reacting to the arrest of two former BJP MPs Fagan Singh Kulaste and Mahavir Bhagora, Naidu told reporters here that instead of giving them awards and felicitating them for exposing corruption, the government was victimising them.
"It is shameful that the persons who exposed the scandal by showing bundles of notes inside parliament and tried to uphold its dignity are being projected as the culprits," he said.
Describing it as "mother of all scandals", Naidu demanded that a special investigation team be set up to find out who were the real culprits.
"Truth should come out as to what was the source of the money, who carried and transported it and who were the beneficiaries," he said.
"Who do you think were the beneficiaries?" the BJP leader shot back when a reporter asked him the same query.
Kulaste and Bhagora along with their colleague and current Lok Sabha member Ashok Argal had during the 2008 trust vote in the Lok Sabha waved bundles of notes inside the house, claiming that they had been bribed to vote in favour of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.
On the arrest of former Samajwadi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Amar Singh in the case, Naidu said he was an event manager and not the beneficiary.
He accused the Congress of misusing the Central Bureau of Investigation, the Enforcement Directorate, the Intelligence Bureau and Delhi Police.
Naidu alleged that the UPA government was neck deep in corruption and the aircraft purchase deal of Air India and KG Basin oil and gas exploration scam have come as the latest additions to a long list.
He said BJP leader L.K. Advani's proposed rath yatra (campaign) against corruption was for creating public awareness on the issue and increasing the pressure on the central government.