NEW DELHI: The Hawala scandal rocking the Indian body politic claimed. Two more victims Feb.20th, when the Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. Buta Singh, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Arvind Netam, resigned from the government amidst reports that they ‘were likely to be charge sheeted in the hawala case.

According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqué, the President had, on the advice of Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao accepted the resignations of Mr, Buta Singh and Mr. Netam. ‘Labor Minister G. Venkata swamy has been given the additional charge of the Textiles Ministry, the communiqué “There was speculation about Urban Development Minister, Mr.R.K. Dhawan, and a few other ministers also putting in their papers but there was no Confirmation as yet.

“Mr. Buta Singh, who was summoned by the Prime Minister, Mr.P.V. Narasimha Rao, in the evening, sent his ‘resignation shortly thereafter.

Mr, Netam, in his letter to the Prime Minister, asserted that there was no ‘occasion or question of his receiving an amount whatsoever from anyone for ‘any personal gains.

‘He said he had no Ali mative but to resign as the infamous Jain diary had meliorated some surname bearing resemblance to his name. The two resignations were immediately forwarded to the President for acceptance. ‘With this, in all, five ministers have resigned from the Narasimha Rao ministry for alleged involvement in the hawala scandal. Mr Netam becomes the fourth minister from Madhya Pradesh to resign after Mr. Kamal Nath, Mr.V.C. Shukla and Mr, Madhayrao Scindia. Meanwhile, it is learnt the CBI is planning to file more charge sheets ‘against several personalities when the Supreme Court will review the progress in the case since the last hearing early this month.

‘While Mr. Netam confirmed that he had sent his letter of resignation to Prime Minister P.V, Narasimha Rao, sources said that Union Cabinet Minister for Civil Supplies and Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee ‘were also sent to send their resignation letters.

Mr, Buta Singh could not be contacted as his personal staff informed reporters that the minister was unwell and was not meeting visitors. Sources said that Mr. Buta Singh met Mr. Rao Tuesday morning, *

Mr, Netam is the fifth minister to resign from the Union Council of Ministers after the CBI initiated action in the Rs 65 crore hawala case, Monday, Minister of State for Textiles Kamal Nathhad tendered his resignation which ‘was accepted by President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma.

‘Sources close to Mr. Nath said that the Prime Minister had hinted the former minister to resign when he called on him. Minister of State for Urban Development RK, Dhawan also called on the Prime Minister, sources said adding that “he would not resign till indicted by the CBI. ‘Mr, Dhawan and the Minister of State for Petroleum Mr. Satish Sharma would not resign now as they know a lot. A senior Congress leader said. Minister of State for Environment and Forests Rajesh Pilot told his confidants that “he would only resign when Mr. Rao asked him to send his resignation letter.” Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal, who is said to be one of the main financiers of the party, is also one of the Key persons whose resignation is expected. The Congress circles are abuzz with speculations that the Supreme Court might step up its pressure on the CBI for accelerating the process of filing the charge sheets. Minister of ‘State for Civil Supplies Krishna Sahi, governors of UP and Kerala also figure in ‘the Jain diaries.

Mr, Netam, in the fifth Union Minister to resign from the Narasimha Rao government after the CBI initiated action in the Rs 65crore hawala case.

Cabinet Ministers Balram Jakhar, Madhavrao Scindia and V.C. Shukla had resigned after the CBI sought the government’s permission to file charge sheets against them in the sensational case last month.

Interestingly, except for Mr. Jakhar, all the four ministers who have resigned are from Madhya Pradesh.

In his two page resignation letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. Netam said “the infamous hawala diary is said to be also within its fold encompass surname bearing resemblance to my name in its virtually blurred and flimsy mention coinciding with the Assembly polls 1990 when there was no occasion or question of my receiving any amount whatsoever from anyone for any personal gains.”

He said “this incident has created an unnecessary and unmerited embarrassment for me who only can be set at rest by my action.

The Lok Sabha member from Kanker, in Madhya Pradesh, said he had learnt that the main accused in the hawala case had not made any statement whatsoever in reference to his name and there had not been nor could be any mention or question of reciprocity or mutuality whatever relation shins” between a politician of humble beginning with low key profile and flamboyant businessman who masterminded his illicit money transactions to be stealthily kept in a diary maintained on his commands by his employee for the reasons best known to him.”

Union Ministers, whose names are mentioned in the diaries of the Jains connected with the hawala case, are free to decide themselves whether they should remain in the ministry or not Congress spokesman V.N.Gadgil said. “We have already made it clear that the party will not give any advice or directive to the ministers, whose names figure in the diaries, it is for each individual to decide,” he told reporters.

Article extracted from this publication >>  February 21, 1996