New Delhi: Unrelenting in its campaign against "tainted" ministers, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Oct 18, 2004) demanded removal of Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav from the Government in the wake of "fresh" charge that former Bihar Chief Minister had been given Rs 50-60 crore from the State Treasury during 1990s after "fraudulent" withdrawal of the amount.

The party also demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh order a probe by Enforcement Directorate into the alleged illegal Forex transactions involving Raninder Singh, son of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and sought disbanding of the Mehra Commission set up by the State Government to investigate the matter.

BJP vice president and spokesman Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi asked the Left parties, "who act as moral police" to make their stand clear on the issue of corruption involving "several Union Ministers."

"The poll outcome cannot be a certificate for corruption and open loot," Naqvi told reporters in Delhi, while claiming that Prasad and Amarinder Singh appeared to have this "belief".

Naqvi described as a "serious matter" the allegation by Fodder scam accused-turned-CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) approver Dipesh Chandak before a CBI court that Prasad was paid Rs 55-60 crore from Bihar Treasury during early 1990s when he as the Chief Minister.

"The Prime Minister should immediately drop Laloo from the Government to allow impartial probe into the allegations against him," he said.

The BJP leader argued that as the fodder scam case is being probed by the CBI, Laloo being a Union Minister can "influence" it.