Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has demanded the resignation of Union Minister of State for External Affairs V.Muraleedharan for violating the oath and tenets of collective responsibility.
Mr.Balakrishnan said in a statement here on Monday that by staging a fast at his official residence in Delhi and making public statements, the Minister was trying to derail the probe into the gold smuggling case. A Union Minister launching a public protest when two Central agencies are probing a case is unheard of, he said. Since the National Investigating Agency and the Customs are probing the case, Mr.Muraleedharan by staging the protest has expressed lack of confidence in the Union Home and Finance Ministers.
While the NIA said that gold was smuggled in diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate, Mr.Muraleedharan had been saying that it was not diplomatic baggage. The Minister was misusing his position to derail the probe.
A Customs officer who said that none had called from the office of the Chief Minister’s office to release the baggage was transferred as it went against BJP State president K.Surendran’s statement. It remains to be seen whether the NIA which contradicted Mr.Muraleedharan may be relieved of the inquiry.
