People's Democracy

Bribing of MPs: Wider Probe Required

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) issued the following statement on September 7, 2011.

IN the “cash for vote” case during the Confidence Motion in the Lok Sabha in July 2008, Amar Singh, two former MPs and others have been arrested. This follows the Supreme Court’s directive to the Delhi Police to expedite the investigation of the case.

During the confidence vote a number of MPs were induced to defect to the government side. At least 19 members of parliament belonging to opposition parties violated the whip of their parties. Many of them were subsequently disqualified. It is well known that they were bribed or intimidated to do so. The case of the three MPs who produced cash on the floor of the house is only one small part of the overall operation undertaken by the ruling party and its allies to bribe and suborn MPs. Obviously, Amar Singh was not acting alone.

The CPI(M) has been demanding from the beginning a wider investigation into the case of bribery of all the MPs concerned so that those responsible are brought to book.