New Delhi: Rejecting BJP`s allegation that
P J Thomas` appointment as Central Vigilance Commissioner was
a `cover up` exercise linked to the 2G spectrum scam, Congress
today accused the principal opposition of "baking political
bread" over the issue.
"Unfortunately BJP has made a practice of denigrating
all institutions in the country be it CBI or CVC. The issue on
which the Leader of the Opposition opposed CVC`s appointment
has no valid ground. But if you want to bake political bread
out of every issue, who can stop you," party spokesperson
Manish Tewari said.
He was responding to BJP`s attack on the government
over the appointment of Thomas.
Dubbing the 2G spectrum scam as "maha Bofors", the BJP
had yesterday targeted the government over the appointment of
former Telecom secretary Thomas and said it was done to "cover
up" the irregularities in the allocation process.
Claiming to have "dug up" details about Thomas` role
in keeping corruption watchdogs like the CVC and Comptroller
and Auditor General away from probe into irregularities
concerning the 2G spectrum allotment, the main opposition
party circulated a document in this regard to the media.
The BJP had also boycotted the swearing-in ceremony of
Thomas and senior leader Sushma Swaraj met President Pratibha
Patil to protest against his appointment.
Asked about the Union Cabinet`s nod to caste census
today, the Congress spokesperson said the party is with the
government over the issue.
"Casteism is the reality of India. If the government
of India has recognized this reality and agreed to inclusion
of caste in census, nobody should have any objection," he
said.
Tewari, however, said it would be premature to comment
further till the modalities of the exercise are worked out.
Asked about the US indicating that it was looking for
"changes" in the Nuclear Liability Bill passed by Parliament
here, Tewari said the "bill has been passed by Parliament and
now it the land of the law."
US State Department spokesman P J Crowley yesterday
said in Washington, "We continue our discussions with Indian
Government on this issue and we note that Indian business
leaders are concerned about some specific aspects of the law
that was just passed by Parliament... We will look to the
Indian Government to see what changes can be made."
Tewari, however, said that some people can have
objections to it but now it is a law and cannot be changed
unless fresh amendments are brought in.
PTI
