M A I N   N E W S

UPA govt in saddle because of strife in BJP: Chautala
Sunit Dhawan
Tribune News Service

ED attaches Chautala’s flat The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday attached a property worth Rs 46 lakh of former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala (pic) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) The property is a flat in the Haryana Jan Pratinidhi Group Housing Society in Sector 28 of Gurgaon. It was acquired in 2008 ED sources said the investigation under the PMLA shows that Chautala has acquired disproportionate assets beyond his known sources of income to the tune of Rs 6.09 crore

Gurgaon, May 30
INLD supremo and former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala has stated that the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre was able to continue in power only due to internal strife in the BJP.

“A strong Opposition is a must for a healthy democracy and it is due to the weak Opposition that the Congress-led government has managed to survive despite a series of scams. Manmohan Singh is an honest statesman, but what’s the use of his honesty if he has no control over his Cabinet colleagues, many of whom are facing corruption charges?” Chautala said in an informal chat with this correspondent at Medanta Hospital. He is on interim bail for medical treatment after he was sentenced by a Delhi court in the Junior Basic Trained Teachers recruitment scam.

Wearing a khadi kurta and sporting his trademark green turban, the ex-Chief Minister warmly meets visitors in his hospital room to enquire about his well-being. In between, he answers telephone calls from his well-wishers.

He addresses most of the visitors by their name and replies to their questions regarding his health. “Doctors say I’ll be fine after getting a pacemaker installed. As of now, they are carrying out certain tests and will decide the final course of action after seeing the reports,” he explains.

In the course of discussion, Chautala expresses concern over the recent Maoist attack on a convoy of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh. He also asks visitors about the status of power and water supply in their areas and other local issues.

Asked about his party’s stance in the Central politics, the INLD leader says they had been making efforts towards the formation of a Third Front and would continue to do so.

He, however, parries queries on the possibility of an alliance with the BJP in Haryana. On being prodded, Chautala maintains that his party was ideologically against the Congress and they were always ready to accept or extend support to any anti-Congress party.

“Above all, we have joined hands with the people of the state and will work for their welfare,” he asserts.

In response to another question, the former chief minister says he would apply for a regular bail and also for a stay on conviction, adding that he had full faith in the country’s judicial system and was hopeful of getting justice.

He, however, maintains that the Congress governments at the Centre have been using the CBI to harass their political opponents and his case was no exception.

“Now, the UPA regime is trying to free the CBI from government control as they are apprehensive that the next ruling party/alliance could also use the CBI to expose its misdeeds,” the INLD leader observes.