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Khurana strikes back; serves notice on Prem Singh

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI SEPT. 9. After having been served a legal notice by the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, it was the turn of the Delhi BJP president, Madan Lal Khurana, to strike back. Mr. Khurana today served a legal notice of defamation on the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president, Chaudhary Prem Singh, for alleging that Mr. Khurana had collected huge amounts from traders and industrialists for his Parivartan Yatra. Mr. Prem Singh has been asked to disclose the names of the donors within three days failing which criminal and civil suits would be filed against him in the court.

Addressing a Press conference here, Mr. Khurana said he had served a legal notice on Mr. Singh through his lawyers and if he did not get an apology from Mr.Singh within the given time frame, he would go ahead with the defamation suit. Terming the allegations levelled by Mr. Singh regarding taking money from traders and industrialists as baseless and without any substance, Mr. Khurana said the intention has been to tarnish his image and that of the BJP. "I have asked him, through the notice, to disclose the names of the people from whom the money had been received. The onus is now on the DPCC president to prove his allegations,'' he added. In fact, Mr. Khurana said it was for the first time that a proper rehabilitation package had been worked out for the people who had been affected by the ongoing works of the Metro Rail extending from Connaught Place to Dwarka. To suggest that he had taken money from them for ensuring them a proper package was a ridiculous thing.

In fact, Mr. Khurana dared the DPCC president to repeat his allegations if he had concrete evidence to back his claim. It is unfortunate that politics has stooped to such a level that personal allegations are being made with the intent to tarnish the reputation of an individual. Interestingly, Mr. Khurana had levelled serious allegations of corruption against the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, in the privatisation of power for which he is facing a defamation suit.

Meanwhile, Mr. Khurana strongly condemned the decision of the Delhi Mayor and the Congress ruled MCD not to invite Members of Parliament from Delhi for the official functions of the Corporation. Warning against carrying the move any further, he said if the said order was not withdrawn immediately, he would meet the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K.Advani, and take up the matter with him as the MCD was under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry. He said as per the provisions of the MCD Act, the MPs from Delhi are automatically members of the Corporation. They not only participate in the elections of the Mayor and Deputy mayor but also in the meetings of the Corporation. He said the act of the Mayor was violative of all norms and conventions and accused the Congress of taking politics to a new low. He accused the Congress of giving political colour to everything and said this would cost the party dearly in the Assembly polls.

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