New Delhi, June 2
Members of Parliament belonging to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will march to Rashtrapati Bhavan tomorrow in protest against the inclusion of “tainted” persons in the Union Council of Ministers.
NDA convener George Fernandes said here today all NDA MPs would meet the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and present a memorandum with “the evidence (against tainted ministers) in our possession.”
Mr Fernandes said they would request the President to “take what action he deems fit.”
Asked whether the NDA would boycott the “tainted” ministers in the manner he was boycotted by the Congress, Mr Fernandes said, “Our culture is radically different from theirs.”
On being reminded that even the NDA had “chargesheeted” ministers in the government, the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said Jaswant Singh said, “A solution must be found. The solution does not lie in preaching or blame game. There is need for introspection”.
Reacting to allegations by some leaders that the defence deals concluded during his tenure were dubious, former Defence Minister, Mr Fernandes asked, “Does anyone of them know how the acquisition of weaponry takes place? Do they have a clue that before any kind of proposal reaches the Defence Minister’s table, the whole Army establishment vets it. Who are they threatening? Are they threatening me, the Army or the Defence Ministry officials?”
Asked about the CAG reports “indicting” him on the purchase of coffins for Kargil martyrs, Mr Fernandes said, “A CAG report has to go for an examination. It is not an indictment and if you think it is an indictment, I can produce before you piles of such reports on every government in the country over the decades.”
