The Congress today demanded the resignation of Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma for alleged corruption over the distribution of forms for the recently launched Central government social security scheme for workers in the unorganised sector.Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal said that they would register a complaint with the Election Commission. ‘‘This is open corruption in the social security scheme for the unorganised sector. and a violation of the model code of conduct,’’ Sibal said. ‘‘Forms are being distributed with the lotus and the BJP printed on it. These forms are not to be distributed from the BJP office,’’ he added asking for a CBI inquiry. He said that the BJP had come up with a way of asking for votes by printing its name and symbol on the forms which were being distributed from a BJP office. A private TV channel had done an expose on the Mumbai BJP unit distributing forms with the BJP symbol and its name printed on it. The footage was played today at the media briefing. Sibal said that the Congress did not have to prove corruption since it was there on camera for everyone to see. Reacting to the allegations, Verma dared the Congress to prove charges of corruption levelled against him. He said that he would quit politics even if an iota of evidence was found against him. ‘‘I promise to quit politics if even an iota of evidence is found against me,’’ he said and added that the Congress should apologise to the nation. The BJP leader also alleged that the Congress had failed to take any concrete steps for the upliftment of the workers of the organised sector.‘‘The government will furnish all the records relating to the scheme to the Congress for a thorough investigation into the matter,’’ Verma said. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee had launched the Workers Social Security Scheme in Lucknow on February 21 this year. The scheme had been launched to provide pension and insurance for an estimated 37 crore unorganised sector workers.
