The former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda, has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or any of his government representative to clarify their position vis-à-vis the WikiLeaks expose published by The Hindu on “cash-for-votes” undertaken by the UPA-I regime to save the government during the vote of confidence in July, 2008 after the Left withdrew their support.
Talking to The Hindu here on Thursday, the Janata Dal (Secular) president said though he tried to raise the issue in the Lok Sabha, he was not given permission by the Speaker. “The government must react to the news item. Dr. Singh should not remain silent on the issue.” Mr. Gowda wanted the government to announce that it would pursue the investigation in the matter as recommended by the V. Kishore Chandra Deo committee, which looked into allegations by some Bharatiya Janata Party MPs that they were offered cash by the Congress to cross-vote in favour of the government.
Mr. Gowda wondered why the government did not probe further when the committee had recommended it.
Asked why he did not walk out of the Lok Sabha with Opposition parties after the Prime Minister failed to clarify his stand on the news item, he said that under no circumstances he could join the “corrupt” BJP and that the BJP had no right to talk about corruption by keeping Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in the party.
“I will not do that. In my lifetime I will not associate myself with the BJP.”
