Bofors issue: Cong accuses BJP of levelling baseless charges

New Delhi, April 26: Alleging political designs behind

raking up the Bofors issue,

today accused the opposition party of levelling "baseless and irresponsible" allegations as Lok Sabha elections are approaching. "Whenever Lok Sabha elections are near, such issues are raised.

Unfortunately, a trend of levelling irresponsible allegations has begun in the country. Opposition especially BJP and its outfits are responsible for it, party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

"They are in a haste to come to power. They had great difficulty in living without power for years when UPA-1 came and now they are finding it increasingly difficult with the advent of UPA-II. They should develop the habit of accepting the decisions of people and the courts," he said.

Attacking senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley, who raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha today, Dwivedi said that the BJP leader was the Law Minister in the NDA government when the Delhi High Court had in its judgement in February 2004 stated that not even an ounce of evidence of the graft was found in the case.

"Jaitley was the Law Minister then. The NDA government was in power. Why did it not appeal against the judgement? LK Advani was the Home Minister for six years. Why did he did not expedite the probe and punish the guilty," Dwivedi said.

Attacking Jaitley, who was also the Additional Solicitor General during the VP Singh government, Dwivedi said, "You are also a prosecutor, a former Law Minister and now also want to give judgements on court verdicts.

When you give judgement, you should also include the period when you ruled the country." The senior Congress leader also recalled that late Prime Minister VP Singh also used to say that he knew about the Swiss Bank account number in which the kickback money was deposited but never disclosed it.

"Whenever Lok Sabha elections are near, such issues are raised. Unfortunately, a trend of levelling irresponsible allegations has begun in the country. Opposition especially BJP and its outfits are responsible for it, party General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

PTI