NEW DELHI, 4 June 2004 — Dozens of MPs from the ousted National Democratic Alliance marched through New Delhi yesterday to demand the removal of ministers facing criminal charges from the new left-leaning government.
Carrying placards, the lawmakers, led by main opposition leader L.K. Advani, marched to the sprawling residence of President Abdul Kalam and asked the ceremonial head of state to sack “tainted” ministers.
“We gave our memorandum to the president and he has said he would consider it. We have highlighted that there is an outcry against corruption in the country,” said Arun Jaitley, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The opposition has vowed to press the issue in Parliament, which opened Wednesday.
The government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh counters that the previous BJP-led administration also had ministers facing investigations and says Cabinet members should be considered innocent unless proven guilty.
Indian law allows people facing charges, but not those convicted of crimes, to run for office.
At least three members of the Singh Cabinet face criminal charges.
The most high-profile is Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav, who faces allegations of charging the federal government millions of dollars for imaginary livestock when he ruled Bihar.
A coalition led by Manmohan Singh’s Congress Party won elections last month after a campaign that accused the Hindu right-wingers of ignoring the plight of the poor.
— With input from AFP
