Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 26 (IANS) The Congress Tuesday defended Virbhadra Singh, who resigned from the union cabinet over corruption charges, saying his guilt was not proved. The party expressed hope that the former Himachal Pradesh chief minister will come out clean and face political adversaries effectively.

“He has taken moral responsibility…The matter is in the court…a charge sheet has been filed but that does not mean his guilt has been proved,” Congress media department chief Janardan Dwivedi told reporters.

“I hope he will come out of it clean and face his political adversaries effectively,” said Dwivedi.

Virbhadra Singh, who held the micro, small and medium enterprises portfolio in the union cabinet, submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after a court in Shimla framed a charge sheet against him and his wife.

The prime minister has accepted his resignation, officials said.

A Shimla court Monday framed charges against Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh in connection with a 23-year-old case of alleged corruption.

The former chief minister of Himachal Pradesh accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state of vindictiveness.

“It has tried to register false cases against me earlier too,” Virbhadra Singh told IANS. “In the past, I have come out clean. This time also I will come out clean.”

Virbhadra Singh said he would return to Himachal Pradesh, his home state, “to strengthen my party ahead of the forthcoming (assembly) elections.” The elections to the state assembly are due in February next year.

“I will fight it out both at the grassroots and in courts,” he added.

The case against Virbhadra Singh pertains to an audio cassette from 1989 when he was chief minister. In the cassette he and his wife are allegedly heard demanding a bribe to allow investment in Himachal Pradesh.