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SP: probe “fund collection business”

— Photo: S. Subramanium

Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh and party general secretary Amar Singh addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday.

NEW DELHI: Stepping up its offensive against the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Samajwadi Party on Friday sought a judicial inquiry into what it said was “the business of fund collection” by the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh and reiterated its demand for a CBI probe into the killing of PWD engineer M.K. Gupta.

Although Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday ruled out a CBI probe into the incident, SP Chief Mulayam Singh pressed for it, saying it was “unprecedented and unfortunate” that politicians adopted coercive measures for fund collection. The SP Parliamentary Board, which met here, adopted a resolution seeking a CBI probe into the killing, “allegedly by a BSP MLA reportedly for failing to pay money for Chief Minister Mayawati’s birthday next month.”

Probe by any agency functioning under the Chief Minister would not be impartial, said the resolution, which Mr Amar Singh read out in the presence of Mr. Mulayam Singh at a press conference.

It also demanded a judicial probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court under the Commission of Inquiries Act “into the business of fund collection by BSP Ministers and MLAs.”

Mr. Amar Singh said, “We will meet the Prime Minister in this regard ... If need arises, the SP parliamentary board will meet the President. If nothing works out, I will personally move the court.”

To a question Mr. Mulayam Singh ruled out the possibility of the SP MLAs resigning in protest. “There is no point in quitting .We will fight it out.”

Alleging that several BSP MLAs and MPs had criminal records, Mr. Mulayam Singh said that from a “glorious past,” U.P. was reduced to “the most criminalised State of the country.” The Opposition party feared for the safety of its leaders and workers.

Criticising Ms. Mayawati’s announcement of a “paltry” compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the kin of the slain engineer, Mr. Amar Singh said he, along with Mr. Mulayam Singh, would visit the family on December 28 to hand over Rs. 10 lakh.

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