PM Claims Innocence on Cash-for-votes Scam


New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Pleading innocence on an issue that had the opposition calling for his immediate resignation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Friday that he had not authorised anyone to buy MPs to win the 2008 trust vote nor had any knowledge of it.

A day after he came under attack for alleged disclosures on WikiLeaks that his government had bought MPs to stay in power after the 2008 trust vote, Manmohan Singh broke his silence and said: "I have no knowledge of any such purchases. I have not authorised anyone to purchase any votes. I am not aware of any act of purchasing any votes."

"I am absolutely certain, I am not at all involved in any of these transactions," the prime minister said at the India Today conclave.

US diplomatic cables leaked on WikiLeaks and published by The Hindu newspaper Thursday purportedly say that payoffs had been made to MPs to ensure a majority for the Congress-led government in the confidence vote over the India-US nuclear deal in 2008.

Nachiketa Kapur, a political aide of Congress leader Satish Sharma, is quoted in the leaked cables as saying that a fund of Rs.50 crore had been formed to pay MPs.

According to the leaked cable: "Sharma's political aide mentioned to an embassy staff member in an aside on July 16 that Ajit Singh's (Rashtriya Lok Dal) RLD had been paid Rs.10 crore for each of their four MPs to support the government."

"Kapur showed the embassy employee two chests containing cash and said that around Rs.50-60 crore was lying around the house for use as pay-offs."

The prime minister, however, raised questions about the authenticity of the diplomatic cables.

"I wouldn't like to comment on (Wikileaks revelation)," Manmohan Singh said, adding that people named in the diplomatic cables released by Wikileaks had expressed doubts "about the veracity" of such an expose.

Responding to a question on currency notes being flaunted by MPs in parliament during the 2008 vote, Manmohan Singh said: "The events you have mentioned, they do affect us. They affect our image both at home and abroad. Without going into any specific event, all this emphasises the need for strong and effective electoral reforms in which funding of political parties is more transparent."

He said a parliamentary committee had looked into the issue "and that report is available".

  

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Comment on this article

  • denis d silva, Udupi Karnataka

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    Dear Prime Minister,
    BJP is trying for power after Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani is powe hungry for PM post so he makes all this drama as he was not successful in the past too Our P M is a great person so we should respect him

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • The Guru, Mangalore

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    Respected PM,

    I Have one question to you, just to pass a nuclear bill, MP's where bribed. during next general elections to appease some community what is the gurantee that some vested intrest from congress party will not allow the terrorist Kasab to go to his home country?

    At that time hope u will not say "I Was not aware of it"

    If u r not aware on whats happening in 10 janpat then what is the use of u being in that party??????

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Sandesh, Mangalore, Oman

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    Mr. Manmohan Singh is greatest ever Prime Minister of India. But few crooks taking advantage of his soft nature and also prompt chelas of BJP to bark like dogs everytime when small breeze passes through

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • jacobnelson, mumbai

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    nagesh nayak,
    this is all fabricated!
    any way truth will come out
    only wait and see
    either
    WikiLeaks or what leaks!
    in Karnataks its already started to over-Leak!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • lukas, malpe

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    why shame on our PM he didn't rape friends wife. these USA can't see indian fast growing economy under Manomahan singh.our luck we have manomahan singh,pranab mukerjee, AK Antony. chidambaram in central cabinet.

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  • Clifford Fernandes, Mangalore

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    PM is a nice man who is surrounded by crooks. To save himself he should go to electorate and ask for fresh mandate. Voters are not idiots. They will decide who is corrupt.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • nagesh nayak, bangalore

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    TRUE . YOU ARE INNOCENT & KNEW ONLY TO OBEY ITALIAN WAITRESS.

    WHOLE WORLD KNEW ABOUT KICBACK .

    RS. 10 CRORES FOR EACH MP & DO NOT KNEW ANYTHING.

    DO YOU KNEW ABOUT 2G, CWG, DEVAS, ADARSH HOUSING, PJ THOMAS ETCCC.

    DO YOU KNEW THAT YOU ARE A PM OF INDIA.?

    INNOCENT HAHAHAHA

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  • Sudhir, Mangaluru

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    Is he a PM, he is just a puppet.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • R Mallar, Kasaragod/ Dubai

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    Even Narasimha Rao did not bribe JMM directly. Why Congress made him scape goat?
    Mr. PM, agreed that some one from Congress paid the money without consulting you, which saved your chair. So the best option for you to step down from the tainted chair to prove your honesty. Show to Mr. Advani that you are indeed not week when it comes to principles.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • KRPrabhu, Mangalore

    Fri, Mar 18 2011

    This PM is a shame for India!!!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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