Modi cabinet has 23 tainted Ministers: Deve Gowda

BANGALORE, Nov 11: Questioning the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for ‘Swatch Bharat’, Janata Dal (S) National President H D Deve Gowda alleged that Modi’s Cabinet included 23 tainted ministers.

How could he clean up the whole country when he himself has chosen such ‘aswatch’ (tainted) ministers’, Mr Gowda asked speaking to reporters here.

The former Prime Minister said he would raise the issue in the winter session of Parliament which begins on November 24.   ‘I will await these tainted ministers to enter the Parliament. I will take up the issue every day during the session. Mr Modi had proclaimed to make India ‘Swatch Bharat’ but he has selected 23 tainted politicians as his ministers. I will seek an answer as to why he did it,’ he added.   Congress had slammed Mr Modi saying he had included more ‘tainted’ ministers in the government contrary to his election rhetoric of ‘cleaning up’ Parliament of criminals.   Mr Gowda said he had the ‘Moral responsibility’ to seek answers from Mr Modi and cited how he sacked, within two days, from his cabinet, Mr Taslimuddin, who faced criminal charges of ‘extortion of timber merchants.

‘I had asked the then Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav to ‘close the issue’ or he would dismiss the Minister. Mr Prasad didn’t do it and I sacked the minister within 48 hours,’ he added.

(UNI)