— Photo: SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

AGAINST DEFREEZING: National Democratic Alliance leaders, led by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani, and convener George Fernandes, addressing the media after meeting the President and submitting a memorandum on the Quattrocchi issue, in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Friday sought President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's intervention to ensure that Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj resigns over the Quattrocchi issue.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi should make a "full statement" on their stand on the defreezing of Italian businessman Quattrocchi's bank accounts in London, which are said to be connected with the Bofors gun deal, the NDA demanded.

Submits memorandum

A high-level delegation comprising BJP leader L.K. Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh and NDA convener George Fernandes among others met Mr. Kalam here and submitted a memorandum. It accused the United Progressive Alliance Government and the Congress of "gross and scandalous abuse of power and of democratic institutions to help an Italian fugitive [Mr. Quattrocchi] in the Bofors bribery case."

"It is a case of subversion of institutions, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, and an attempt to sweep things under the carpet to suppress a scandal to save the culprits," Mr. Advani told media persons after the 30-minute meeting with the President.

He also raked up the `foreign origin' issue saying that several countries, including the U.S., had barred persons of foreign origin from holding a constitutional or high position of office.

"This debate is not an academic exercise as national interest could seriously be compromised if such a system is not in place. The Quattrocchi incident has shown why [a] foreign origin person cannot be Prime Minister or hold such a position where he/she can influence decisions."

"The Prime Minister and Ms. Gandhi should lay their cards on the table. They should come out with what has been their role, when did they come to know and what did they do to prevent [the defreezing of Mr. Quattrocchi's accounts]," he said.

The NDA would pursue the matter in the public and in Parliament.

The NDA asserted that Bofors was not merely a case of corruption. "What is at trial is the strength of Indian democracy. Is an Italian fugitive close to the Gandhi family going to be helped in a manner that every democratic institution in India is subverted? Is Indian democracy so vulnerable that it can look a helpless spectator to this subversion?"

The seven-page memorandum traced the history of the Bofors deal and dwelt on the "steps" taken by the NDA regime in the matter.

Mr. Advani said it was explained to the President that charges could not be framed against Mr. Quattrocchi as "he had fled the country and not presented himself before the CBI."

Kalam's assurance

To a question, he said Mr. Kalam assured the delegation that he would "examine" the issue.

S.S. Dhindsa of the Akali Dal, Dinesh Trivedi of the Trinamool Congress and B.K. Tripathi of the Biju Janata Dalwere part of the delegation.

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