The Hindu : National : CBI must pursue missile deal probe impartially: CPI(M)

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Thursday, Oct 12, 2006
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CBI must pursue missile deal probe impartially: CPI(M)

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday demanded that the Central Bureau of Investigation pursue the Barak missile deal probe impartially and with diligence so that "if there has been any wrong-doing the culprits are brought to book."

Referring to the filing of an FIR against the former Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the former Samata Party president, Jaya Jaitly, and the former Naval chief, Admiral Sushil Kumar, the party said that the case once again highlighted high-level corruption in defence purchases.

"It is shocking that successive governments had failed to tackle this problem and preferred to let a nexus of ruling politicians, bureaucrats and arms dealers to indulge in corrupt practices," the party Polit Bureau said in a statement.

The party said the Israeli company, which allegedly offered kickbacks, must be proceeded against. It demanded that the company be prohibited from any future transactions.

Charges vicious: Congress

Terming Mr. Fernandes' charge against Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the missile case "intemperate and vicious," the Congress said instead of such attacks, Mr. Fernandes should defend himself with facts.

The party said that each time Mr. Fernandes was pushed into a corner due to his own acts, he made it a point to attack Ms. Gandhi. "These attacks are wild, false, unsubstantiated, motivated and vicious. Mr. Fernandes should face the process with facts and defend himself instead of launching vitriolic attacks on Congress president," Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said.

The party also strongly condemned the language used by Mr. Fernandes against Ms. Gandhi.

The Congress condemned Mr. Fernandes' reference to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam having tendered an opinion on the Barak missile system in his capacity as Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister. Stating that such attacks were unhealthy in a democracy, the party said it could "expect no better from a person who, when faced with certain charges, stoops to such a level as to blame the President."

BJP's charge against CBI

The BJP said that although the CBI had filed an FIR against Mr. Fernandes, the UPA Government had ordered "seven more Barak missile systems in January 2006."

The BJP said Mr. Fernandes had been an active and effective crusader against a corrupt Congress for the last four decades. Hence, the charges against him were politically motivated.

Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar charged the CBI with working to the directions of its political bosses, opening and shutting cases as it suited them.

While senior party leaders here were not prepared to vouchsafe for the honesty of the former treasurer of the Samata Party, R.K. Jain, they pointed to "40 years of integrity in public life" in the case of Mr. Fernandes.

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