The CPI central secretariat discussed the issue on Thursday. The meeting was attended, among others, by Union home minister Indrajit Gupta. The party has decided to raise the issue in Parliament and at the United Front steering committee meeting, said party national secretary Atul Kumar Anjan.
The party has also decided to contact all the constituents of the United Front and press the government to review all the contracts during Sukh Ram's tenure.
Nilotpal Basu, CPI(M) MP in the Rajya Sabha said his party has also demanded that the ambit of the inquiry against Sukh Ram should be expanded to cover his entire tenure and the government should immediately issue an arrest warrant against him.
Some other UF constituents, however, do not seem to share the Left's concern. Why should we demand a review? We are the ruling party, said Satpal Malik, general secretary of the Samajwadi Party. His party colleague, Beni Prasad Verma, is now the minister for communications.
Opposition parties like the BJP too do not seem to be in a mood to demand a review. I do not think my party would go for any such demand, said BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan. My impression is that most parties are not in a mood to demand a review, said Samata Party president George Fernandes.
CPI national secretary D Raja had a telephonic conversation with CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet and politburo member Prakash Karat in this connection. They have decided to hold a meeting of Left parties to chalk out the future course of action. Raja said Sukh Ram tenure's was marked by shady deals and there was an urgent need to review the entire tenure.
Anjan said there was Every possibility of such a review as there were shady deals in almost all the contracts finalised during Sukh Ram's tenure. Not only in issuing tenders but at the time of bidding also, there were underhand dealings. The total amount involved was more that Rs 80,000 crore.
He said the CBI raids had revealed that during Sukh Ram's tenure, public money was shamelessly looted and unless something drastic was done to rectify the national shame, people would lose faith in the political system.
He added that mere administrative efforts like CBI investigation was not sufficient. A political debate is needed on the issue and we will raise the issue in Parliament in a big way. The people of the country should be made aware of all those who were involved in shady deals, Anjan said.
He hailed the UF government for initiating actions against Sukh Ram and added: Now it is time to strive for a clean and corruption-less administration, as has been stated in the common minimum programme.
