'Q' backlash: BJP wants PM to quit

New Delhi: Riding on a victory wave in Uttrakhand and Punjab, the BJP has decided to push its luck some more.

The party is seeking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation in Parliament over the Quattrocchi issue, party leader V K Malhotra ha said.

The BJP-led opposition on Tuesday stalled Lok Sabha proceedings over the Quattrocchi issue forcing adjournment of the House for an hour.

The Opposition members were on their feet as soon as the House assembled this morning alleging "cover-up" by the Government and wanted to know how Quattrocchi had been released.

The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs has asked the Speaker to let the Government make a clarification statement in the House.

Though the Speaker allowed the same, Lok Sabha had to be soon be adjourned till Wednesday because of the uproar caused by the BJP.

V K Malhotra was quoted by news agency PTI as saying that the party will be more aggressive in its attack on the Government after the Italian businessman - who is allegedly the prime beneficiary in the Rs 64 crore Bofors scam - was given bail by Argentina.

According to CBI sources, world police organisation Interpol had informed CBI on Monday that the Federal Court in Eldorado city had released Quattrocchi on bail, but barred him from leaving the country.

It was on the basis of an Interpol red-corner notice that the Argentinean police had arrested the Italian businessman on February 6.

The BJP is upset that the Government had not divulged the fact that Quattrocchi had been detained in Argentina on February 6 itself.

The party alleges that the UPA did not reveal the details to India so as to save themselves from potential embarrassment around elections time.

"The BJP is angry with this Congress Government that has shielded Quattrocchi by hiding the news of his arrest in Argentina for more than a fortnight and has now arranged for his bail," says Malhotra.

However, the CBI has said that Interpol only informed them of Quattrocchi's detention on February 23 - the same day that they revealed it to the nation.

(With inputs from PTI)