Wikileaks expose on trust vote created by ''vested interests''

Bangalore, Mar 19: Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today alleged the WikiLeaks expose on the 2008 trust vote was a story created by "external elements" and "vested interests" to destabilise the country's democracy.

"It is a story created to destablise democracy of India. Our media and our politicians should not become victims of the manoeuvring and manipulation against the very existence of democracy of India", he told reporters here.

Describing the Wikileaks expose as a "design to destabilise" the democracy, he said BJP and the Left should not be "parties to it."

"...If they want to fight a war, let them fight a political war within the domain of the constitution of India and not take extra help of countries or interest who are inimical to the country," he said.

He said some vested interests existed that were anti-Indian to the extent of wanting to destabilise democracy.

"These external elements make such allegations for which they are not responsible, for which they are not accountable to Parliament...they are not interested in our country", he said adding it could eventually "erode the sovereign power of the country".

He said "we will have to consciously safeguard Parliament and our constitution".

"Such allegations through external elements like Wikileaks, internet or e-mails may create confusion, anarchy and destabilise democracy".

Asked about Wikileaks expose on BJP''s ''doublespeak'' on nuclear policy, he said "it was a question which has to be answered by them...why they behaved like that"?

Hitting out at the Left and BJP for opposing the Indo-US nuclear deal, he said the oppositon had chosen to do so not on merits but simply because of their "anti-American" sentiment.

"The right and left converged".

The Left and BJP again converged to take on the UPA on some statements made by a US diplomat on the trust vote, he said, terming it as "totally double standards and the hypocrisy of the highest order".

He accused the Left and BJP of putting party before the country, which was "unfortunate".

Dubbing BJP as "opportunistic", he said they did not mind joining hands with the Left and accused it of also placing the party''s interest above the country's.

PTI