Cong hails Lalu's acquittal

New Delhi, Dec 18 (UNI) The Congress today hailed the verdict of the Special CBI Court of Patna exonerating Railway Minister and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and also his wife from the charges of amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income.

''We welcome the decision of the court,'' Congress Spokesman Satyavrat Chaturvedi told reporters when asked for his reaction to the court verdict. ''There should be no comment on the court verdict.'' When asked whether the CBI should go for appeal to the higher court against Mr Lalu's exoneration, Mr Chaturvedi said the CBI was an investigating agency. ''We will not interfere in its affairs.'' Asked about UPA Government having not fulfilled its commitment made in the CMP about Women's Reservation Bill, the Congress Spokesman said, ''We do accord high importance to the Women's Reservation Bill. We have fulfilled all the promises. A time will come when you will hear this also.'' Mr Chaturvedi claimed that the UPA Government had fulfilled 80 per cent of its promises made in the Common Minimum Programme. The latest promise to have been fulfilled was with regard to the passing of the Forest Tribal Rights Bill which provided for ownership right to tribals on the land occupied by them till 2005. It also provided for ownership right to them for a part of forest produce. This would help improve the economic condition of the tribals and reserve their tribal culture, he said.

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