Thaindian News

Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Sunday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s role was “questionable” in the spectrum saga and the now jailed Suresh Kalmadi’s appointment to run the Commonwealth Games.

“Whether it be the 2G spectrum affair or the KG Basic gas contract issue or the appointment of Kalmadi as chairman of the CWG (Commonwealth Games) Organising Committee, the role of the prime minister is questionable,” it said in a statement.

“In both the 2G and KG basin matters, the prime minister was fully aware of the developments but did not stop the wrong doings. The prime minister has to own up responsibility for presiding over this corrupt regime,” it said.

The statement, issued after a meeting of its central committee in Kolkata, said the Congress-led central government had “become synonymous with high level corruption.

“Fresh corruption scandals involving the higher echelons of the government are coming out every day.

“Apart from the 2G spectrum case there has been massive corruption involved in the KG Basin gas contract, as per the draft report submitted by the CAG.

“In the Commonwealth Games corruption, the involvement of the Delhi government and other Central Government agencies in corrupt practices has been uncovered in the CAG report submitted to parliament.”

The CPI-M said it were the neo-liberal policies which had made the Indian government “act as the facilitator and handmaiden of the loot of public resources by big business and corporates. High level corruption stems directly from this economic regime.

“The loot of natural resources is graphically illustrated by the rampant illegal mining which is taking place (in Karnataka).”

It called the prosecution of former Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yedyurappa and others named in the report as well as companies involved in this “loot”.