PM, ministers "overstepping" their limits, alleges BJP

Charges PM Manmohan Singh and his ministerial colleagues with trying to demoralise the CBI

Charging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his ministerial colleagues with trying to demoralise the CBI and other central agencies in their recent remarks, the BJP today accused the Congress-led UPA government of "overstepping" its limits.

"Prime Minister's statement at a CBI conference (on Monday) that CBI cannot question policy decisions and Finance Minister P Chidambaram cautioning the CBI and the CAG not to overstep their limits is a direct warning to the investigating agencies that they should not be over enthusiastic while probing government decisions," senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporters here.

The PM, at the CBI conference, should have spoken on making CBI autonomous, instead he and his colleagues have chosen to demoralise them, he claimed.

"It is not the CBI or CAG which are overstepping their limits, but it is the PM and his colleagues who have overstepped their limits," Venkaiah alleged.

The Congress-led UPA government, facing cases of corruption, is making a brazen attempt to cover up its misdeeds, the BJP leader alleged and asserted that their purpose is to "restrain independent agencies from going behind their government policies and decisions and from looking for evidence of their wrong doings."

"The Congress has always misused the CBI to shield itself from corruption. Instead of trying to correct their mistakes, punish the culprits, allowing the agencies to do their work, the Prime Minister and his team are trying to not only weaken the probing agencies but are also trying to warn and demoralise them," the BJP leader alleged.

If voted to power, the NDA will give needed autonomy to the CBI and all the "scams and scandals" that took place in UPA-I and UPA-II regimes will be investigated and tried in a time-bound manner, he said.

On Telangana, he said the Centre should make its stand clear and bring a Bill (on creation of separate Telangana state) in the winter session of Parliament.