Liquor scam: BJP seeks white paper on ACB raids

TIRUPATI: Senior BJP leader, M Venkaiah Naidu demanded a ‘white paper’ on liquor scandal and asked government to make public the ACB report, including lists of persons who had received bribes from liquor mafia.He said this was necessary as ACB had finished the final report.Speaking to mediapersons here on Sunday, he said that chief minister, N Kiran Kumar Reddy was trying to conceal all facts behind liquor scandal, as if it was an internal matter.Such behaviour was totally unacceptable, as it was nothing short of suppressing transparency, which was most essential ingredient in democracy.He further added that “such behaviour would give scope to doubt that CM is deliberately not disclosing facts of liquor scandal, so as to shield his people involved in it, while at the same time hitting back at adversaries in his party and in opposition”.Not making public the report would safeguard CM’s position, but it was totally unacceptable to BJP and Venkaiah Naidu reiterated his demand for a white paper covering all aspects, including officials’ and non-officials’ involvement, as well as beneficiaries in the scandal.Venkaiah Naidu also took exception of chief minister not taking action against excise minister, even after serious bribe allegations were levelled and vociferous demands, for his resignation, from all sections of society.Regarding delay in accepting resignations of MLAs by Speaker, he apprehended that, any further delay would defeat very purpose of anti-defection law.He said the Speaker should disqualify those who disobeyed their party whip or indulged in cross-voting, based on records, without any further delay, in the interest of democracy.Reiterating BJP’s demand for resignation of union law minister, Salman Khurshid, he said, the minister was challenging constitutional authority of election commission of India and should not be tolerated.The President should immediately sack Salman.Despite being a law minister, he had crossed limits and by daring the ECI, Khurshid had amply revealed the “arrogance of power”.Venkaiah Naidu exuded confidence that NDA would emerge victorious in the 2014 general elections.