BJP wants PM to come clear on A Prattler’s Tale

“Washington had proposed two names for the Finance Minister’s post in the government. While the first person thought things over and declined the invitation, the second name on the list was sounded by Narsimha Rao and he readily agreed,” the BJP leader quoted excerpts from Mitra’s book.

He said that Mitra should disclose the identity of the person who, he claimed, was Washington’s first choice for the Finance Minister’s post.

“The whole world regards Manmohan Singh as a man of integrity. Mitra has tried to hurt his integrity as a patriot. The CPM should clear its stand and the PM should also immediately come out with a clarification,” the BJP leader said.

Sinha, however, faced with a barrage of questions over his colleague Jaswant Singh’s controversial mole-in-the-PMO claim, insisted that the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha has given his statement in the House on the row. “Don’t link everything to it” he said.

Sinha demanded that Mitra should disclose the source of his information regarding the appointment of the Finance Minister in the Rao government.

The BJP leader also appeared to be cornering Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, citing a news report that he was simultaneously associated with a US Institute of international finance besides a World Bank commission on development and poverty.

The BJP leader demanded a clarification from Ahluwalia on whether or not he sought permission from the government to stay in those posts while serving as the Planning Commission deputy chairman.

“He should also clarify if he had received honorariums from both the organisations,” Sinha added.