The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : BJP demands CBI enquiry into Volkswagen scandal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 12, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

BJP demands CBI enquiry into Volkswagen scandal

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The BJP national secretary, B. Dattatreya, on Monday demanded that the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, order a CBI enquiry into the Volkswagen scandal and alleged that the State Government's agreement with M/s Vashishta Vahan was illegal.

At a press conference here, he likened it to the urea scam during P.V. Narasimha Rao's regime. There was nothing on paper and yet the Government issued a GO sanctioning Rs. 28 crores. "Nobody knows the credentials of Vashishta Vahan and where the money has gone," he said.

Asking the Chief Minister, Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy, to clear the air on the controversy, he wanted the Government to issue a white paper. He would write a detailed letter to the Prime Minister.

On the Telangana issue, he said the party leadership would be apprised of the situation in the State at the national executive meet in Chennai beginning on July 21.

The situation was fluid as it was not yet known whether Dr. Reddy would accept the resignations of TRS ministers. Telangana would be possible only if the TRS pulled out of the UPA, he added.

CPI raps `deal'

Staff reporter from Cuddapah adds: The revelation of a discreet deal between Volkswagen and the Industries Minister, Botsa Satyanarayana, had eroded the State's prestige, the CPI State Assistant Secretary, K. Narayana, alleged on Monday.

The Government's claims of transparency were blown away by the scandal involving the Minister and his close relative, he alleged in a press conference. The CPI exposed the `underhand deal' by successfully staging protests at 90 centres in the State.

Forcible occupation of lands by poorer sections was the sole solution to the problem of landless rural folk, Dr. Narayana maintained. Calling upon partymen to be prepared for a land struggle, he said the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, would be apprised of the issue on July 30.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh