New Delhi, December 12
Embarrassed by on-the-camera evidence of certain party MPs accepting bribes in return for asking questions in Parliament, the BJP today suspended all MPs, who were caught on camera, from the Parliamentary party, as well as ordering a detailed party inquiry.

After a meeting with senior party leaders and consultations with former Prime Minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee, BJP President L K Advani also announced institution of an internal inquiry into the television expose. The MPs have been given three days to furnish explanations before a party committee.

“As soon as we saw on-the-camera disclosures, the party top leaders conferred and took the decision to suspend the MPs from the Parliamentary party. We informed the decision to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who is also the chairman of the NDA”, the BJP President said.

Addressing newspersons, BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said that a three-member committee would be set up by Mr Advani tomorrow and stressed that the party had decided to take “strictest action” against the MPs, if they were found guilty.

She said since the party President and the former Prime Minister were busy in the BJP CMs meeting, there was some delay in nominating the persons to the committee. “The names will be announced tomorrow,” she said.

She said Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had already referred the matter to the Ethics Committee, which was fully empowered to take action against them in the matter. The meeting was scheduled to be held at 4.30 pm.

“The committee, which could censure, reprimand, suspend them for a specific period or decide any other punishment by consensus, would be sending its recommendations to the House which would ultimately decide the action against the guilty,” she said.

She did not rule out expulsion from the party if the charges were found to be correct.

Earlier Mr Advani said that after the Volcker Committee report exposure, cleanliness in public life was a subject of public discussion and the present disclosures were too serious allegations to be glossed over.

Mr Advani said MPs belonging to all parties were seen taking bribes for asking questions. All MPs seen accepting bribes had been identified and suspended pending a party probe.