BJP likely to move privilege motion against PM on Quattrocchi

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) Accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of ''contempt of Parliament'', the BJP today said it was contemplating to move a privilege motion against him for making a statement on Italian fugitive Ottavio Quattrocchi outside the House during the session.

BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the Opposition had been demanding the Prime Minister to make a statement since yesterday to ''clear the clouds'' over the non-disclosure of Mr Quattrocchi's arrest in Argentina for over a fortnight. But he had chosen to make his statement to the media outside Parliament, Mr Malhotra said.

''Now we want that the Prime Minister should quit his office for displaying his inability to work for the country and not to join the conspiracy to help a fleeing criminal,'' he alleged.

He said Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri's statement had now confirmed that the Government was aware of Mr Quattrocchi's arrest on February seven and it was kept under wraps till February 23 with an intention to save Congress from facing the embarassment during elections in three states of Punjab, Uttarakhand and Manipur. It was also an insult to the Indian judiciary and democracy, he remarked.

However, even this had not saved them from an imminent defeat in Punjab and Uttarakhand as the people were fed up and not happy with the Centre's policy in handling the prices of essential commodities, internal security, terrorism and Muslim appeasement. ''This is a direct reflection on the performance of the UPA government at the Centre and its Chairperson Sonia Gandhi who used to take credit for even minor achievements,'' Mr Malhotra said.

He said it was now clear by the government statement that the Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister, UPA Chairperson and the Director of the CBI were aware of Quattrocchi's arrest and they should be held responsible for the lapses.

Mr Malhotra said it was now time for the UPA partners to ponder whether they should continue their support to a government which considered the interests of a party and a family more important than the country.

About the government's statement that the CBI would be proceeding to Argentina to secure Mr Quattrocchi's extradition, Mr Malhotra wondered if the same team which defroze the London bank accounts of Mr Quattrocchi was going to the Latin American nation.

He did not agree with the government's contention that India did not have Extradition Treaty with Argentina. ''We have shown it from the records of Parliament that the Treaty signed by the British rulers on behalf of India with Argentina was valid. The Government should show the papers if the fact was contrary to our claims,'' Mr Malhotra said.

Asked if tomorrow's General Budget presentation would meet the same fate as that of the Railway Budget, Mr Malhotra said the BJP had assured that it would not disrupt it. ''We will hear Finance Minister P Chidambaram patiently,'' he said.

UNI