Advani tells PM raising black money issue not a poll "stunt"

Jaipur, May 4 (PTI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L
K Advani Monday flayed India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
for describing as an "election stunt" his campaign to bring
back black money if his party comes to power wondering was it
wrong to rake up the issue on which the prime minister was "so
confused."

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate said his party
would bring back the black money to the tune of Rs 25 lakh
crores stashed in overseas banks within 100 days of assuming
power and invest it in development projects.

"I had written to the Prime Minister on bringing back
the stashed black money in Swiss banks... PM has replied that
he has asked Pranab Mukherjee to follow it up...the UPA
(United Progressive Alliance) government has filed a reply of
40 pages in the Supreme Court", he said, and asked "Is it
wrong or a stunt?

"Why is Dr Singh so confused now on the black money issue
and calling it as election stunt...I cannot understand,"
Advani said addressing a rally at Chomu town in India's
northern-western state of Rajasthan.

Referring to Advani's campaign on the black money issue,
Manmohan said at an election rally in Delhi Sunday, "They
(BJP) have not only made this issue an election stunt but they
have behaved irresponsibly on this issue."

Attacking the Congress on the Bofors issue, Advani
said, "the director of CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation)
has importance...if some one directs CBI to withdraw
cases....whether the government or any organisation...court
has condemned the government's interference in CBI working."

Advani criticised the CBI for giving a clean chit to
Ottavio Quattrocchi, who is considered close to family of
Sonia Gandhi, in the Bofors case. "Quattrocchi was famous as a
middleman...he kept his money in a London bank which was
freezed by the CBI".

Advani claimed that Manmohan Singh lacked political
experience alleging the Prime Minister was in a "pitiable"
state as he needed Sonia Gandhi's nod for every decision and
that his style of functioning had "weakened democracy" in the
country.

"Manmohan Singhji lacks political experience. He has
been at the helm (but) but he has not been elected...he should
contest, people will elect him," Advani said.

"Dr Manmohanji is the fifteenth PM, but he is not
elected PM in Lok Sabha," he added.


Advani claimed that Sonia Gandhi had emerged as the
main power centre.


"Singh is the first PM who before taking a final
decision asks his colleague or minister to go to 10 Janpath
and talk there (to Mrs Sonia Gandhi)...if 10 Janpath accepts
it, the decision would be taken up in the UPA government",
Advani said, adding, "his condition does not anger me, but it
is pitiable."

"This is not a good situation...it weakens
democracy... this style of Singh would create instability in
the minds of other ministers...these ministers would then go
directly to 10 Janpath avoiding the PM," he said.

"If 10 Janpath in Delhi become so important...it is not
fruitful for democracy", he said. PTI YG
RAI
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