Congress denies allegations against Pratibha

New Delhi, June 22 (UNI) The Congress today dismissed as ''absolutely scandalous'' the allegation that UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil had shielded her brother in a 2005 murder case and appealed to all concerned to maintain the ''decorum of Presidential election''.

''Our Presidential candidate has absolutely no connection whatsoever with the allegation,'' AICC Spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told mediapersons, while pointing out that ''If somebody is aggrieved, the law will take its own course.'' Ms Natarajan said certain people in the Opposition who could not find a candidate to match Ms Patil were trying to level allegations against her. ''This should be condemned.'' ''Such allegations which are completely baseless and motivated will harm the democratic process of Presidential election,'' Ms Natarajan said.

She asked the media not to give publicity to such allegations.

The widow of a Congress leader in Maharashtra alleged here today that the brother of Ms Patil murdered her husband and that she shielded him when she was Governor of Rajasthan.

UNI