“I do not believe that Finance Minister K.M. Mani is corrupt. The clamour for his resignation on the basis of certain unproven corruption charges is politically motivated,” senior Congress leader and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, P.J. Kurien, has said. Talking to The Hindu , Prof Kurien said there was every reason to suspect an element of conspiracy in the modus operandi of airing corruption charges on a piecemeal basis against the Finance Minister.
Prof Kurien said he could not simply believe that a responsible and well experienced politician of the stature Mr Mani who had never lost an election to the Legislative Assembly since 1967 has accepted bribe as claimed by a bar owner.
However, Prof Kurien said there should be a free and fair inquiry into the charges levelled against the Finance Minister to bring out the facts before the people.
“How could a government function, if the ministers started stepping down with the Opposition levelling unproven corruption charges against them,” Prof. Kurien asked.
Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha calls for a fair probe to place facts before the people.