New Delhi: Trust political parties to stand up for their leaders even if on the wrong side of the law. The NCP and the CPI-M on Monday refused to take action against two of their leaders accused of serious crimes.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) called the arrest of its MP Padamsinh Patil for allegedly organizing the murder of a Congress in 2006 an “embarrassment” but regarded the case as his personal matter and would “disassociate” itself from him when the charges are proved in court.
Patil’s arrest rocked the Maharashtra legislature on Monday with the Opposition parties demanding resignation of state Home Minister Jayant Patil and Information Minister Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, who is the son of the accused.
The entire Opposition was on its feet minutes after the House assembled for the day and raised slogans accusing the state government of allegedly attempting to shield Padamsinh Patil.
Shiv Sena legislator Ramdas Kadam, Leader of Opposition in the assembly, raised the issue and demanded the resignation of the two ministers. He also demanded a detailed discussion and a statement by the government on the issue. Following this, the house was adjourned for 15 minutes.
Patil was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday and was later remanded to CBI custody till June 14. He is accused of the murder and criminal conspiracy to kill his cousin Pavan Raje Nimbalkar, a Congress leader, at Kalamboli in Navi Mumbai in 2006.
The NCP said Patil’s been "embarrassing" for the party. "Of course it is embarrassing for the party... The matter is still under trial... Our lawyers told us that Patil stands a chance as the case is based on the confessions of a co-accused," said NCP spokesperson D.P. Tripathi.
Senior NCP leader and Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said: "As far as the case of Padamsinh Patil is concerned it is the issue between the investigating agencies and police. NCP considers this his personal matter. If charges against him are proved then the party would completely disassociate itself from him."
CPI-M’s party line
A similar line was taken by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), whose party secretary in Kerala is being probed for a 12-year-old contract scam.
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The CPI-M on Monday termed as "unfortunate" the Kerala governor's permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute party leader Pinarayi Vijayan in the Rs 300 crore SNC Lavalin scam and said it would fight the case "both politically and legally".
"The Politburo reiterates that the CBI case against Pinarayi Vijayan, politburo member of CPI(M) and the secretary of Kerala state committee of CPI-M, is politically motivated," a statement issued after a meeting of the politburo said in New Delhi.
"It is unfortunate that the Governor of Kerala decided to grant permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation to initiate prosecution proceedings against Pinarayi Vijayan. The CPI-M will fight the case both politically and legally," it added.
Earlier, CPI-M leader Brinda Karat Monday said the case was "politically motivated".
"Our party has already taken a stand on this issue - it is a politically motivated case. The party politburo has issued a statement earlier and the state secretariat of our party in Kerala has also clarified the position on this matter," Karat told IANS.
Vijayan is accused of wrongfully awarding a contract to Canadian company SNC Lavalin for renovation of two power plants when he was the state power minister in 1997.
This is the first time a CPI-M politburo member has been accused in a multi-million rupee scam and will face prosecution. The Kerala secretariat of the CPI-M, which leads the state's ruling coalition, had on Sunday termed the decision "most unfortunate".
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