Distancing himself from NDA convener and JD(U) president Sharad Yadav’s opinion that Railway Minister Pawan Bansal has no fault if his nephew is an accused in a bribery case, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that Sharad was expressing only his personal views when he made such statement and stated that it is up to Bansal whether he resigns from his post following the expose.
Nitish told mediapersons after his weekly Janata Darbar in Patna on Monday that he and Sharad Yadav did not hold any talks before Yadav made his views on Bansal public, creating flutter in the political circles.
Sharad had virtually absolved Pawan Bansal of any fault in the bribery case involving his nephew by arguing that if any relative of a political leader is involved in corruption then what is the fault of that leader.
His remarks surprised the BJP primarily against the backdrop of the fact that the party has been raising the issue both inside and outside the Parliament.
“When it comes to morality, it depends on a particular individual, how he responds to the situation and whether he resigns from his post in such an event,” Nitish noted.
To a query whether the ongoing probe will be affected if Pawan Bansal continues in the office, he said that the bribery case was exposed when Bansal was holding the portfolio of the Railway Ministry, exuding confidence that an independent probe will unravel the entire truth.
Describing the recent expose of misconduct by the people occupying high positions as “very shocking”, particularly against the backdrop of Union law Minister Ashwani Kumar making changes in the coal block scam status report and involvement of Bansal’s nephew in a bribery case, the Chief Minister said that the confidence of the people gets shaken due to such disclosures, also creating negative sentiments in the country.”
To a query on the role of the CBI on recent controversy over changes in its status report on the coal block allocation, Nitish said it could not be denied that the CBI is a part of the Government like the police forces.
“But as a Chief Minister, I can firmly say that the State Government does not interfere with the investigation work of the police but I am not aware whether the CBI is allowed to function independently in the same matter,” he added.
The Supreme Court is monitoring the case and we should have the faith in the judiciary, the Chief Minister remarked.
Responding to Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi’s recent comments that no party can use the veto power in an alliance, Nitish Kumar said that he has not even remotely thought of veto power as he is fully aware that any alliance works through consensus only.
He said that he had only mentioned about the successful tenure of the NDA Government under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee who set a benchmark for the coalition politics in the country.
Since the JD(U) is a political party, it has all the right to articulate its positions on various issues including what qualities a Prime Ministerial candidates should possess.
“I have never expressed my views on these matters on the public platforms and discussed such issues only at the party forums,” he added. He said that any party is free to take its own decision if a consensus is not built among various allies of an alliance on any matter.
“We have stated our position on the Prime Ministerial candidate very clearly and there is no place for ifs and buts,” he stated. He, however, reiterated that the NDA Government in Bihar is functioning with full cooperation and mutual agreement.
Nitish said that he has never spoken that his party will contest all 40 lok Sabha seats but even if the JD(U) prepares on all seats, it will help its alliance partner in the election.
On the issue of Sushil Modi’s advocacy for an Extremely Backward Caste leader occupying the post of Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said that the time will only tell who is the backward leader and who is the extremely backward leader.