PM on Wiki disclosures: I have not authorised anyone to purchase votes
March 18th, 2011 - 12:08 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) He had not authorised anyone to purchase any votes, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh clarified Friday, a day after he came under attack for alleged disclosures on WikiLeaks that his government had bought MPs ahead of the 2008 trust vote.
“I have no knowledge of any such purchases. I have not authorised anyone to purchase any votes. I am not aware of any act of purchasing any votes,” the prime minister said at the India Today conclave.
He said he was “absolutely certain” that he was not involved in “any of these transactions”.
US diplomatic cables leaked on WikiLeaks and published by The Hindu newspaper Thursday purportedly say that payoffs had been made to MPs to ensure a majority for the Congress-led government in the confidence vote over the India-US nuclear deal in 2008.
Nachiketa Kapur, a political aide of Congress leader Satish Sharma, is quoted in the leaked cables as saying that a fund of Rs.50 crore had been formed to pay MPs.
According to the leaked cable: “Sharma’s political aide mentioned to an embassy staff member in an aside on July 16 that Ajit Singh’s (Rashtriya Lok Dal) RLD had been paid Rs.10 crore for each of their four MPs to support the government.”
“Kapur showed the embassy employee two chests containing cash and said that around Rs.50-60 crore was lying around the house for use as pay-offs.”
- PM declares innocence on 2008 trust vote scam - Mar 18, 2011
- WikiLeaks disclosure: Allegations totally baseless, says Sharma - Mar 17, 2011
- PM 'rejects firmly' bribery allegation on 2008 trust vote (Lead) - Mar 18, 2011
- WikiLeaks expose: US embassy refuses to comment - Mar 17, 2011
- Nachiketa denies all information about payoffs to MPs - Mar 17, 2011
- WikiLeaks exposes UPA's cash for vote deal - Mar 17, 2011
- No comments on Wikileaks: US embassy - Mar 17, 2011
- WikiLeaks disclosure: 'I have not witnessed anything', says Kapur - Mar 17, 2011
- Leaders, aides deny WikiLeaks claims - Mar 17, 2011
- Satish Sharma denies knowing 'aide' named in US cable - Mar 17, 2011
- Government must go, says opposition after WikiLeaks disclosures (Afternoon Lead) - Mar 17, 2011
- Go Manmohan, says opposition after WikiLeaks expose (Intro-Roundup) - Mar 17, 2011
- Parliament adjourned over WikiLeaks disclosures - Mar 17, 2011
- PM to make statement on Wiki expose, Lok Sabha adjourned (Lead) - Mar 18, 2011
- Ajit Singh denies charges of getting cash for votes - Mar 17, 2011
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