PM, Sonia should break silence on 'cash-for-vote' scam:Advani

New Delhi, Aug 30 (UNI) Terming the 'cash-for-vote' scam in Parliament as 'most disgraceful episode' in the political history of the country, Leader of the Opposition L K Advani today asked Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to break the silence on the unprecedented scandal that had sullied the reputation of Indian democracy in the eyes of the world.

Addressing the National Conference on 'Governance and Politics' of the BJP Legal and Legislative Cell, Mr Advani said ''Good governance had roots in good politics but this was a systematic effort to influence the decision to target Members of Parliament whose constituencies would be affected by the Delimitation of the Lok Sabha constituencies.'' He said this was one of the worst attacks on democracy after the imposition of Emergency rule in the country in 1974.

Quoting the observations of veteran journalist M J Akbar, Mr Advani said the reputation of Dr Manmohan Singh's personal honesty was the last remaining asset of the Congress for the last four years of UPA-led coalition although the voter did not believe that his Ministers were clean.

After the 'cash-for-votes' scandal, Dr Singh was just another 'tainted politician' willing to feast on grub street in the company of bagmen, chatting with ''fixers and pushers'' to remain in office, he alleged.

The Parliamentary Panel was inquiring into the episode and the entire country had seen the BJP MPs acting as whistle blowers displaying the wads of currency offered as bribe that came from ''the saviours of the UPA government,'' Mr Advani quipped.

Comparing the one vote defeat of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA coalition in Parliament, Mr Advani recalled how the government went down accepting the verdict of Parliament even though one vote cast against the government was a 'fraudulant vote' because the then Orissa Chief Minister was technically a member of the Lok Sabha.

At that time none including the critics had made any allegations of horse trading to retain power. "We accepted the mandate and people renewed our mandate in the elections that followed:, Mr Advani added.

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