AMRITSAR: Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Urban Planning and Employment, Mrs S.S. Ahluwalia, congratulated the judiciary for taking bold stand in the multi Crore Hawala case.

Talking to news men here, Mr. Ahluwalia, who had come here to attend a conference organized by the Rotary Club, said the apex court by giving time bound directions to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had not only speeded up the functioning Of CBT, but also highlighted the “character” of the politicians.

Denying the involvement of the Prime Minister in this racket as alleged by the Opposition parties, he said Mr. Rao too had given free hand to the investigating agency, besides the fact that number of senior politicians of his party was allegedly involved in this.

He said at the time when the Prime Minister, Mr. Rao, had launched the ‘operation Cleanup,” the other parties had started o campaign to malign his image.

Mr. Ahluwalia who represents Bihar in the Parliament revealed that names of over hundred more politicians, who. Are on the list of CBT in connection with hawala case, would be disclosed shortly.

He, however, ruled out that the action of the CBI was politically mot voted in wake of the election year.

Replying to a question about the Panjab demands and water dispute, he said being a Sikh and true Punjabi; he was of the opinion that the lost glory of Punjab should be restored.

He refused to comment over the water issue as the matter is Subjudiee and pending in the court. But added that any promises made by the union government regarding Chandigarh should be fulfilled.

He demanded stem action against all those, the names of whom were figured in the reports of various commissions Set Up in this connection after November 1984, anti-Sikh riots.

Mr. Ahluwalia appealed to the Punjabi NRIs to set up more industrial units in their home state to provide more job opportunities to their brothers here.

Replying to a question about Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, he said nobody could force Mrs, Gandhi to join politics, but it was certain that the Congress would fain Jot, if she joined politics.

A member of Joint Parliamentary Committee (UPC), Mr. Ahluwalia, expressed his concern over the slaw progress of the investigation of the murder of former Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi.

Accompanied by Amritsar Deputy Commissioner KB. Sidhu, the chairman of Amritsar Improvement Trust, Mr, Maninder Singh Heera, and other officials.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 7, 1996