New Delhi, March 19: Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Saturday demanded a CBI probe which should be conducted under Supreme Court's supervision to nail the culprits in the cash-for-vote scam in the wake of Wikileaks revelation.
Jaitley told Rajat Sharma's Aap Ki Adalat show on India TV that the Wikileaks expose of a US diplomat's cable has "corroborated" the truth behind the sting operation that was carried out by some BJP MPs in July 2008 hours before the confidence vote, after which they displayed wads of currencies in the Lok Sabha.
Jaitley lashed out at the Prime Minister for saying that the voters of India have debated and given their verdict in the 2009 elections.
"This amounts to saying that a criminal after winning the elections can claim acquittal from the crimes he may or may not have committed. Winning elections is a separate issue and committing crime is a different issue. The argument put forth by the Prime Minister is shameful. Let the CBI probe and find out the truth", said Jaitley.
The BJP leader said: "What the Wikileaks cable reveals may not be admissible as evidence in court, but the US diplomat who claimed to have seen the 'war chest' can be asked to testify in court because his cable corroborates the charges that we had levelled about cash being paid during the confidence vote" , said Jaitley.
"Hand over the entire matter to the CBI. Let it investigate through due process", said Jaitley.
Pressed by Rajat Sharma on BJP having levelled charges of misuse of CBI in the past, Jaitley pointed out that the CBI, though misused at times, had always performed well under court's supervision, particularly in the 2G spectrum scam.
The BJP leader denied the charge that his party was trying to take political advantage out of the issue. "On the contrary, it is the Prime Minister who as the principal beneficiary is trying to take political advantage".
On Omar Abdullah's tweet that the NDA had tried to garner his support in 1998 and 1999, Jaitley smiled and said: "Omar was the minister of state in the NDA government. Where is the point of garnering his support? As a minister he was bound to support. It's a mindless tweet."
Grilled by Rajat Sharma about BJP dilly-dallying on taking action on land deals by Karnataka chief minister Yeddyurappa, Jaitley said: "Let any agency come up with a prima facie report against him, our party will definitely take action. We cannot take action based on media statements."
Jaitley had praise for Home Minister P Chidambaram on two issues. "It was Chidambaram who first pointed out to the 2G spectrum irregularities....After the Chhatisgarh encounter in which Maoists killed CRPF jawans, people expected our party to demand Chidambaram's resignation, but our party stood by him. We did not want our forces to be demoralized".
Jaitley also praised Swami Ramdev saying that the yoga guru was doing a great job by raising issues like black money. "Woh bahut bada
kaam kar rahe hain Samaj ke charitra ko badal kar (he is doing a great work by changing the character of society in general)."
Asked about the lack of a Prime Ministerial candidate in BJP, Jaitley said, "our party has a galaxy of leaders both at the Centre and the states compared to the dynastic democracy that the Congress has. There has to be a debate in this country over merit versus dyanstic succesion. Most of the parties in India today are run by single individuals who promote their families. BJP is the exception."
Asked whether he was an aspirant for primeministership, Jaitley said: "Definitely, no. If I say either yes or no, I will be in trouble, so it's better to say no. When the time will come, our party will decide and tell the world."
Do not miss Rajat Sharma's Aap Ki Adalat with Arun Jaitley on India TV on Saturday March 19 at 10 pm and on Sunday March 20 at 10 am and 10 pm.
