The Hindu : National : Lalu Prasad cannot be dropped, says Pranab

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Friday, Jun 03, 2005

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National

Lalu Prasad cannot be dropped, says Pranab

NEW DELHI: : The Congress has said that Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, whose dismissal has been demanded by the NDA, cannot be dropped from the Union Cabinet because of his party's crucial support to the UPA coalition.

"Dismantling the Government... because he is supporting the Government. You cannot do it," the Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, told NDTV in the "Walk the Talk" programme on Thursday. He was asked whether dropping Mr. Prasad would have meant dismantling the Government.

Mr. Mukherjee said: ``If you have to run a coalition government you cannot drop Lalu Prasad who is having 24 members as you could not drop me."

"And when you know fully well that it was also not possible for Vajpayeeji to drop George Fernandes... we insisted on it, but therafter we reduced our demand," he said. The Minister said that whenever Mr. Fernandes used to speak in the Lok Sabha, the Congress-led Opposition sometimes would walk out or remain silent. ``We did not ask him any questions. But we did not go for disruptions,'' he said.

Expressing doubts over the former Pakistan Foreign Minister, Gohar Ayub Khan's claim that a senior Indian Army officer had sold 1965 war plans to his country, Mr. Mukherjee said the charge smacked of ``some design'' to vitiate the atmosphere between the two countries.

``What is the point in bringing this news item right now when 40 years have passed since 1965 .... To some extent, there may be some design to vitiate the atmosphere,'' he said when asked whether he thought the claim was "motivated."

He said Mr. Khan's allegation had ``not worried me, but it has made me a little angry on two counts. Firstly, why should I take what Field Marshal Ayub Khan or his son says about an Indian even if I assume that he [Gohar Ayub Khan] is quoting from his father's diary. Because this is highly improbable that a General will divulge secrets of military matters to his son who is not a military man.''

He, however, said he was ``not dismissing it as such'' and had asked the Army authorities to probe the matter.

PTI

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