Thaindian News

New Delhi, Feb 1 (IANS) A day after the apex court pulled up the government for delay in sanctiong prosecution of former telecom minister A. Raja, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh what action he planned against the officials responsible.

“We want to know what action will the prime minister take against officials responsible for delay in sanctioning prosecution of Raja,” BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi told reporters here.

“If there is no action, the shadow of doubt will be on the prime minister,” Joshi said, adding the delay, pointed out by the apex court, should be probed.

The veteran leader, who also heads parliament’s public accounts committee (PAC) which is looking into the 2G scam, reiterated his party’s demand that the prime minister should sack Home Minister P. Chidambaram, for his alleged role in the case, to show he is serious about tackling corruption.

“If Raja can be probed, why not Chidambaram. Otherwise it will look like misuse of the sanctioning authority. There is sufficient evidence against him,” he said.

Appreciating the apex court’s directive stipulating maximum four months time for the government to sanction prosecution of an official on corruption charges, Joshi said the central government should frame a law for the purpose.

“The Supreme Court order should be followed up with a law as the sanctioning authority has been misused so far,” said Joshi.

The BJP said the United Progressive Alliance government was in a conflict with many public institutions like the CAG, the PAC, the army and scientists.

“While there is a conflict between the Congress and government, there is acrimony within the government as well,” said Joshi.