New Delhi: Accusing BJP of "misleading" Parliament over Lokayukta`s appointment in Gujarat, Congress leaders from the state on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil and claimed that a "smear campaign" to discredit the Governor has been launched by Narendra Modi`s party.
A party delegation, which included PCC chief Arjun Modwadia, CLP leader Shaktisinh Gohil and former Union Minister Shankarsinh Vaghela met Patil in a bid to counter BJP`s offensive after its leaders led by L K Advani petitioned the President on Friday, seeking recall of Governor Kamla Beniwal for bypassing Chief Minister Modi, while appointing the Lokayukta.
"Sushama Swaraj has misled Parliament on the issue by saying, Governor sat on for three years on a recommendation by the state Government to appoint Lokayukta. I have been a part of the process. All these are nothing but lies," Gohila alleged after meeting Patil.
"....Narendra Modi has become desperate. Since the maximum funding of BJP comes from Gujarat.... Hence the entire BJP high command is on its toes to save the Chief Minister," he claimed.
In a four page memorandum submitted to Patil by the delegation, which was led by AICC general secretary in-charge for the state Mohan Prakash, the state Congress leadership alleged that the BJP government in Gujarat was opposing the
appointment of R A Mehata as Lokayukta as it is "scared" that as in Karnartaka, the Lokayukta in Gujarat will also expose the "massive wrong doings, irregularities and corrupt practices" in Gujarat.
Accusing Modi of scuttling the appointment of Lokayukta for last seven-and-a-half years, Gohil said, "I challenge Modi to come for a debate before camera and contradict if anything I said is wrong."
PTI
