Action against whistleblowers, not beneficiaries: BJP
September 27th, 2011 - 9:09 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Sep 27 (IANS) Action has been taken against whistleblowers, but no investigations taken against those who have benefited in the 2008 cash-for-votes incident, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Tuesday after one of its leaders was jailed for the scam.
“We would not comment on the court (hearing) but having said that, I certainly voice the BJP’s concern that those who were the beneficiaries of the entire cash-for-votes scandal in which the BJP and its people have only been the whistle-blowers, action has been taken on the whistle-blowers,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.
Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former aide of senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani, was Tuesday sent to judicial custody till Oct 1 in the scandal.
Targeting the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government, Sitharaman told reporters that those who were ready to buy parliamentarians have not been questioned.
On July 22, 2008, three BJP MPs waved wads of currency notes on the floor of the Lok Sabha ahead of a trust vote, alleging they were given the money to vote in favour of the Manmohan Singh government. A case was registered in 2009 on the recommendation of a parliamentary panel that probed the scandal.
Sitharaman said the parliamentary panel had also recommended further investigation into the matter but nothing happened.
“The beneficiaries are remaining quiet and away from any investigation and that’s what is the greatest concern. This investigation is missing out on those who benefitted from this scandal,” she said.
BJP general secretary Ravi Shankar Prasad said: “The Delhi Police did not undertake any investigation for three years. In spite of Supreme Court rap, they did a very bad job and every attempt was made to shield the real culprits. Every time the whistle-blowers are subjugated and put in jail.”
Prasad also questioned the “beneficiary” of the cash-for-votes scam.
“Amar Singh was not the beneficiary. He was not a minister then and was not in UPA. He was with Mulayam Singh (Yadav) and Singh’s party (Samajwadi Party) was not in UPA then,” said Prasad.
Six people have been arrested in the scandal, including the former Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.
Another BJP leader Balbir Punj said Kulkarni has made a statement that he was part of the sting operation.
“In fact (L.K) Advaniji also wanted to be arrested because he too said that he was part of the operation. It is obvious who gave the money,” said Punj.
- Cash-for-votes: Kulkarni jailed, Amar bail decision Wednesday (Roundup) - Sep 27, 2011
- Cash-for-vote the scandal of century: BJP (Lead) - Sep 06, 2011
- Make me cash-for-vote scam witness, not accused: Kulkarni - Oct 01, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Kulkarni, four others walk out of Tihar (Lead) - Nov 17, 2011
- Government protecting corrupt ministers: Advani - Oct 03, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Advani taunts government to jail him - Sep 08, 2011
- Kulkarni appears before court in cash-for-vote scam - Sep 27, 2011
- Gadkari meets jailed party colleagues in Tihar - Oct 31, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Government indeed tried to buy MPs, says BJP - Nov 17, 2011
- Court defers Hindustani's bail plea till Sep 20 - Sep 16, 2011
- Cash-for-votes scam: Amar Singh to appear in court Tuesday - Sep 05, 2011
- No bail for Advani's former aide, ex BJP MPs - Oct 21, 2011
- BJP stages protest in parliament complex - Sep 08, 2011
- Cash-for-votes: Bail for Kulkarni, five others - Nov 16, 2011
- Whistleblowers should be protected: Advani - Sep 17, 2011
Tags: alliance government, amar singh, bharatiya janata party, bjp leader, culprits, currency notes, delhi police, judicial custody, l k advani, Lok Sabha, manmohan, manmohan singh, parliamentarians, parliamentary panel, progressive alliance, ravi shankar, trust vote, wads, whistle blowers, whistleblowers