NEW DELHI: Shell-shocked Congress leaders continued to debate political ramifications of the hawala case even as the Opposition parties demanded action against other Congress ministers and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao for his alleged involvement in the case.

As the three ex-ministers, who were forced to resign following Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) request for sanction to prosecute them, waited to know about the exact Charges, others whose names figured in the Jain hawala diary indicated that they would take up the matter with the Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, Some of them were also contemplating preemptive legal action.

The Indira Congress, whose leader Asjun Singh has been charge sheeted by CBI, on the other hand, took exception to charge sheeting of only three Union ministers in the Jain hawala payoffs and demanded a similar Action against all other ministers and Congress leaders whose names figured among the recipients In the Jain diary.

The BJP, meanwhile, demanded section against Prime Minister Narasimha Rao saying that he had taken Rs 3 crore from the Jains.

AlCC spokesman V.N. Gadgil, however, dismissed the charge against Mr, Rao as “without any substance.”

“If they have got evidence, let them come out with it,” Mr, Gadgil told newsmen when asked to comment on the BJP allegation. “What else you can expect from the BJP.” was his cryptic comment.

Central minister and CWC member Rajesh Pilot said every member of the party appeared to have come under a cloud since the CBI had decided to come out with more disclosures in the hawala case.

Mr. Pilot said he was planning to meet the Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao at the earliest to know from the government who is involved and who is not in this case.

Saying that there was no question of the party shielding anybody, Mr, Pilot said, “At the same time, there are people in the party and in the government who are clean, These people should not be tarred with the same brush and therefore, the Prime Minister must put the record straight in the larger, interest of the party and the government, particularly at the time when the general elections are round the comer.” Harayana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, another senior Congress leader whose name allegedly figures in the hawala diary denied that he was involved in the Rs 65 crores hawala case.

Talking to reporters, hero, Mr. Lal said, “If Jain says that he knows me, will resign from the chief minister ship of the state.”

He emphasized that he had never met the controversial businessmen from Madhya Pradesh, since Jain had no business interest in his state.

Mr, Lal said he accepted funds only from those who made voluntary donations to the party.

In reply to a question, the Chief Minister said those six months ago, a senior official had verbally asked him whether he knew the Jains. Mr. Bhajan Lal denied that the CBI had sent him any questionnaire. On the details of transactions with the Jum brothers. Former Agriculture Minister and: Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Balram Jakhar, who resigned last week in connection with hawala case, said that he would press for a special session of the CWC to discuss the matter, Mr. Jakhar declared that he would contest the coming Lok Sabha election to seek tic people’s verdict. When asked about his future course of action, Dr, Jakhar said that he would Dot rest till his name was cleared Asked if he would contest Lok Sabha elections ho quipped “Absolutely why not” He said that hundreds of farmers tad been visiting him since then, pledging their solidarity with him. Addressing a press conference, here, party general Secretary P. Kumaramangalam said the CBI should charge sheet Prime Minister Rao whom hawala operator S.K. Jain had admitted to have passed on RS 2.5. crore through godman Chandraswamy. He said the Prime Minister should also resign on the same count as three other Union ministers did recently.

Article extracted from this publication >>  January 24, 1996