Rudy not to resign from ministry

While civil aviation minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said he did not "milk" the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and ruled out his resignation form the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked its ministers to strictly observe the do's and don'ts.

"All ministers have been told to be careful about the do's and don'ts," party spokesman Arun Jaitley said yesterday.

Ruling out his resignation in the wake of allegations of the misuse of public funds, Rudy said he was being "crucified" without any reason.

Rudy who has been accused of getting the AAI, a public sector undertaking under his ministry, to foot the bills for installation of air-conditioners, mobile phones, paintings and other items at his office and residence, said if he was guilty then all his predecessors too could be considered guilty because they had availed of similar facilities.

Blaming "vested interests" opposed to reforms in the civil aviation sector, Rudy said, "Where is the misuse of public funds? If this is what has been happening for the past 50 years then all those who had occupied my chair earlier should be criticised."

"Those levelling charges against me are either pursuing their political agenda as they are close to those contesting against me or are vested interests who are opposed to the process of reforms in the civil aviation sector," he said.

On the Opposition demand for his resignation, the minister said, "There is no resignation over such allegations. This is a democracy and anyone can demand anything against anybody."

He said he had been "performing to the best of expectations of the people and, under the leadership of the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, I have delivered also."

On allegations about his ordering a fountain to be constructed at his residence, he said he had himself paid Rs 56,500 for it.

Regarding the bill for Taj Exotica Hotel in Goa, where he spent four nights and five days at the year-end, the minister said he had paid the bills, despite two days being an official visit, when he held a series of meetings with officials of the Dabolim Airport, aviation and defence authorities.

He said the AAI had neither made the bookings, nor did it foot the bills of the hotel. About the charge that the AAI was made to pay over Rs 2 lakh for oil paintings, he said paintings were meant for his office and the AAI building.

Opposition parties have demanded his sacking from the government and an independent probe following revelation that he had asked the AAI to pay for his bills on some construction, luxury appliances and food.

Asked what stand the party had taken with regard to Rudy's non-payment of bills in Goa and renovation of his ministerial bungalow by the AAI, Jaitley said, "nothing now on Rudy. What has to be said has been stated by the party president."

BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu had yesterday admitted that it was an "indiscretion" on Rudy's part not to have paid the hotel bills but now it was a "closed chapter" and wondered why the Opposition was blowing it out of proportion.