Demanding an investigation into reports of Indian officials accepting bribes from U.S. companies, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday also insisted the Government blacklist all American firms involved in it.
Expressing grave concern at the report that Indian officials took the bribes for showing special favours and awarding them major facilities and contracts, the CPI (M) Polit Bureau in a statement said the Government should also identify the persons who received the bribes and give them stringent punishments.
``In case of Dow Chemicals, the matter is extremely serious since the bribes were taken by Indian officials to register and allow sale of pesticide banned in USA as they were harmful to children,’’ the statement said adding that the U S Government had imposed heavy penalty against the company for its criminal behaviour.
It said: ``All US firms involved in giving bribes should be blacklisted forthwith and the persons who received the bribes should be identified and be given stringent punishment.’’