CPI accuses BJP of pursuing double standards in the struggle against corruption

National Secretary of the Communist Part of India (CPI), D. Raja has asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to come out and respond to the people of India, after the Congress party has demanded Chattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's resignation with regard to serious allegations of corruption in the Indira Priyadarshini Mahila Nagarik Cooperative Bank case.

Earlier, the Opposition Congress in Chattisgarh had released a CD and transcript of a narco-analysis test of an accused in the cooperative Bank fraud case, which reportedly shows him claiming that bank officials had paid Rs. 1 crore each to Chief Minister Raman Singh, two senior cabinet minister, and the then director general of police, amongst others, after the Bank went bust in 2006 when the multi-crore scam was unearthed.

"A court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM) had allowed narco-analysis and brain mapping test of Umesh Sinha, one of the accused in the bank fraud case in June 2007. But the BJP government suppressed the findings as the accused had revealed money having been paid to senior politicians of the ruling party", Bhupesh Baghel, Congress leader and a former state minister, told mediapersons in Raipur's Congress Bhawan yesterday.

CPI's Raja responded to the allegations, saying that it is a routine tradition of the BJP to remain tongue-tied when their own leaders are accused of corruption, but he demanded a response from the party in regard to the allegation made.

"I understand (that) BJP pursues double standards in the struggle against corruption." If it is (the) Congress Party, (the) BJP cries hoarse. But if it is BJP itself, then BJP looks in a different direction. I understand (that) BJP pursues double standards in the struggle against corruption. The BJP as a party has to explain how it is going to deal with Mr. Raman Singh" , Raja said.