ID :
169060
Thu, 03/17/2011 - 18:01
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/169060
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Indian government says can’t confirm or deny Wiki Leaks cash for vote scam
New Delhi, March 17, 2011 (PPI): Under severe attack from the united Opposition on Wiki Leaks cables on alleged cash for votes during the confidence vote in parliament in 2008, Indian government on Thursday said it can neither confirm nor deny the revelations.
After an uproar in the Raja Sabha by Opposition over the issue demanding resignation of the government, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the cables were correspondence between a sovereign government and its mission abroad.
The united Opposition today demanded resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with allegations of bribing MPs to win 2008 trust vote after the Left withdrew support to the UPA-I over Indo-US nuclear deal.
Mukherjee also said the charges pertained to 14th Lok Sabha but government of the day was responsible to 15th Lok Sabha. He said, "Each Lok Sabha is sovereign in its time. What happened in 14th Lok Sabha cannot be decided in 15th Lok Sabha...Government of the day is accountable to 15th Lok Sabha and not to 14th Lok Sabha. Whatever happened in 14th Lok Sabha has come to an end" with the end of tenure.
He asked Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley whether he was satisfied that "whatever has appeared in newspaper report is admissible in the court of law?" Jaitley said, "If what has appeared (in newspaper) is correct, it is a commission of offence in India." He said diplomatic immunity may be available to the US diplomats but the same cannot be claimed for offences like "bribery" committed by Indians in the country.
He disagreed with Mukherjee's contention on accountability of then government (UPA-1) to present Lok Sabha. "All these factors do not apply when the offence was committed outside the House," he said. Jaitley alleged, "You are guilty of cover", on which Mukherjee retorted, "If you have courage, go to court.
After an uproar in the Raja Sabha by Opposition over the issue demanding resignation of the government, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the cables were correspondence between a sovereign government and its mission abroad.
The united Opposition today demanded resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in connection with allegations of bribing MPs to win 2008 trust vote after the Left withdrew support to the UPA-I over Indo-US nuclear deal.
Mukherjee also said the charges pertained to 14th Lok Sabha but government of the day was responsible to 15th Lok Sabha. He said, "Each Lok Sabha is sovereign in its time. What happened in 14th Lok Sabha cannot be decided in 15th Lok Sabha...Government of the day is accountable to 15th Lok Sabha and not to 14th Lok Sabha. Whatever happened in 14th Lok Sabha has come to an end" with the end of tenure.
He asked Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley whether he was satisfied that "whatever has appeared in newspaper report is admissible in the court of law?" Jaitley said, "If what has appeared (in newspaper) is correct, it is a commission of offence in India." He said diplomatic immunity may be available to the US diplomats but the same cannot be claimed for offences like "bribery" committed by Indians in the country.
He disagreed with Mukherjee's contention on accountability of then government (UPA-1) to present Lok Sabha. "All these factors do not apply when the offence was committed outside the House," he said. Jaitley alleged, "You are guilty of cover", on which Mukherjee retorted, "If you have courage, go to court.
