Congress 'shielding' corrupt, says Mankotia

Dharamshala, May 29 (UNI) Hours after his suspension from the Congress for 'anti-party' activities, Shahpur legislator Vijai Singh Mankotia today criticised the party for "shielding" the corrupt.

''Instead of taking action against the Chief Minister and his wife for their alleged involvement in corruption charges, the Congress High Command in its wisdom has decided to suspend me from the party for raising the issue of corruption'', he told UNI here.

Mr Mankotia said people like him who were raising the voice against corruption and following the path shown by former Prime Ministers Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi were being shown the door.

Asserting that he would soon be releasing more documentary evidence against the Chief Minister and his wife and their alleged involvement in corrupt practices, he said he would not be cowed down by the party's decision.

It was now for the people of the state and the country to pass their judgment on this decision of the Congress High Command, he said.

Asserting that he was not perturbed by the Congress decision to suspend him from the party, he said he was ready for a long drawn battle against corruption and would not back out from it.

He expressed the hope that people of the state would join him in his fight against the corrupt and help in dislodging the present regime headed by Mr Virbhadra Singh.

Referring to the Chief Minister's remark that the voice in the tape was not his, Mr Mankotia said the authenticity of the tapes could be established by forensic laboratory either at Bangalore or Hyderabad.

''I am ready to face the consequences of releasing the CD,'' he added.

UNI