Cong slams BJP for comments on CVC
In a counter offensive to the main Opposition BJP for its relentless tirade against the appointment of Central Vigilance Commissioner P.J. Thomas, the Congress on Monday criticised the Saffron party for making “running commentary” on the sub judice matter. The ruling party also asked the BJP to explain why it did not sanction prosecution against Mr Thomas in the Palmolein case when it was in power at the Centre.
On the other hand, the BJP, however, claimed that home minister P. Chidambaram’s statement at his monthly press brief here vindicated Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj’s stand that the government was informed about the Palmolien case pending against Mr Thomas.
Though claiming that he was “not holding brief for any body” nor “going into merits” of the case, AICC spokesperson Manish Tewari said, “The Kerala government had sought prosecution sanction from the Centre against Mr Thomas in December 1999. At that time the BJP-led NDA was ruling at the Centre. If the case against Mr Thomas was so strong, will the BJP tell why did it not grant sanction against him from December 1999 to May 2004, when they were in the government.”
Attacking the Left, Mr Tewari also asked why their government in Kerala appointed him chief secretary of the state in 2007 when it had earlier sought the Centre’s permission to prosecute Mr Thomas.
“This is an issue before the court. The Central government or a committee of the government has appointed the CVC. A few persons have filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the appointment. The government has also presented its position in the matter before the court. Whatever the Supreme Court will decide will be acceptable to all. My objection is that the BJP is giving a running commentary on the appointment of the CVC since last one month, when the case is in the court...We do not want to go into the merit of the case unlike BJP as we respect the Supreme Court,” Mr Tewari said.
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