NDA's petition irrelevant, mischievous: CPI(M)

New Delhi, July 7: Taking strong objection to the NDA's unabated 'smear' campaign against UPA-Left Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil, the CPI(M) today termed the saffron party's request to the Speaker to refer the 'misutilisation' of her Local Area Development funds by her to the Ethics Commitee as 'mischievious and politically motivated.'

''The BJP's submission to Mr Somnath Chatterjee is not only mischievous, misleading but also irrelevant as there already exists a House Committee for the purpose,'' CPI(M) Floor leader in the Lok Sabha Basudeb Acharia told sources.

The NDA today submitted a petition to Mr Chatterjee urging him to refer the issue of ''gross violation'' of the guidelines of utilisation of MPLAD funds by Mrs Patil to either the Ethics Committee or the Privileges Committee.

The petition cited reports claiming that Mrs Patil spent her MP's funds for sports compex, set up by a society floated by her husband.

Mr Acharia charged the BJP and its associates with ''unleashing a malicious campaign'' against the UPA candidate, which, he said, only dremonstrated its anti-woman bias.

''There is no ground for referring the matter to the House Ethics Committee as the NDA submission raises some basic questions such as why is it raising the issue after as many as ten years, and why only now when she is contesting the Presidential polls, as the official nominee of the UPA, supported by the Left, the BSP and other parties?'' The senior CPI(M) leader also pointed out that funds utilised under MPLADS are audited and submitted to the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

''If somebody violated the guidelines, the District Collector could report it to authorities,'' he added.

Besides there is already a House Committee to deal with issues relating to the MPLAD funds, headed by the BJD's Prasana Acharya, the CPI(M) leader said, adding that the panel can take care of the matter.

UNI

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