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PAC ruckus a black day in Indian democracy: Gadkari

Last updated on: April 29, 2011 01:15 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday night the ruckus at the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on the 2G spectrum scam represented a "black day" for the country's democracy and alleged that whatever happened there was done at the "direction" of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Addressing a hurriedly convened news conference, Gadkari also said that four Union ministers were "controlling" and "monitoring" all activities relating to the stormy meeting presided by BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi.

Gadkari, who did not identify the ministers, accused the Congress leadership of "masterminding" the happenings at the PAC meet in Parliament House.

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'Joshi targetted at the direction of PM'

Last updated on: April 29, 2011 01:15 IST

"Whatever happened today was done at the direction of the Prime Minister," Gadkari said.
The BJP chief said, "four union ministers were sitting in Parliament controlling all activities, monitoring it." He claimed whenever the United Progressive Alliance faces allegations of corruption, it resorts to such things.

"Whatever happened was childish behaviour on part of the UPA. After the meeting was adjourned by Joshi ji, a Rajya Sabha member was elected as the chairman by UPA members," the BJP president said.

Joshi, who was targetted at the PAC meet, was appreciated by the prime minister himself for his good work. "And the prime minister himself had offered to appear before the PAC," he said.

'UPA trying to cover up cases of corruption'

Last updated on: April 29, 2011 01:15 IST

PM Dr Singh with Congress President Sonia Gandhi

Gadkari claimed till the time PAC was quizzing corporate honchos and journalists, the work of the panel was going on smoothly.

"But when they realised that the PM, the Congress party and top officials would be questioned in the 2G spectrum scam probe, they started creating problems. They did this when they realised that they could face tough questions," he said.

He slammed the UPA for trying to cover up cases of corruption at a time when people were demanding greater transparency and legislations like Lokpal. The BJP leader also slammed Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party for supporting Congress whenever it faces crisis. "During the 2008 trust vote, they helped bail out the UPA," he said.