 "UPA Govt. has warned CBI not to overstep its brief: Venkaiah Naidu")
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday accused senior leaders of the Congress-led UPA-II regime of virtually warning the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to overstep its brief.
Addressing media here, senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu, voiced strong objections to the recent remarks made about the CBI by both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P.Chidambaram.
"They have practically warned the CBI. It is not the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General of India), or the CBI overstepping their limits, but the PM and his ministers," claimed Naidu.
Naidu's reactions was in response to Singh and Chidambaram both cautioning the CBI recently to respect the thin line that exists between policy and investigation.
Prime Minister Singh had on Monday bestowed praise on the CBI as it completed 50 years, but cautioned the agency saying that it must distinguish between error and crime.
"It is important that errors of judgement are distinguished from criminal acts and lines of confidence be drawn between investigating agencies and honest public officials. Decision making in world of uncertainty is very difficult," said Dr. Singh in New Delhi.
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Chidambaram had said on Tuesday that: "Investigating agencies should draw a line between policy making and policing."
"Investigator must cross a threshold if there was criminal intent before pressing charges in matters of financial crimes, " he said while addressing the CBI conference on corruption in New Delhi.
Naidu further said: "They want the CBI to be their pocket organization. They don't want to give autonomy to the organization. At times, the ministers are making demoralizing statements. The PM instead of extending support to the CBI, is demoralized them."
The senior BJP leader said that in his view, the UPA regime's sole purpose seems to be to stop the CBI "from investigating corruption charges against the government".
Cautioned by the government to not "sit in judgement over policy formulation", CBI Director Ranjit Sinha said: "An important question has been raised on defining the limits of criminal investigation. We will positively contribute to finding an equilibrium that is in consonance with the requirements of justice."
Naidu also came out in support of Narendra Modi, describing him as "a leader who is now of national interest."
He also criticised Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Aggarwal's controversial statement of calling Modi a tea vendor, and saying that a person with that kind of background, could never become or should not aspire for the office of prime minister.
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