New Delhi: Accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of remaining a "mute spectator" to the ongoing spat between Union Ministers Laloo Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan, BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Dec 1, 2004) asked him to drop both of them and order investigations into the charges they were levelling against each other.

"The Prime Minister should not remain a mere spectator to the ongoing war of words between his Ministers. He should obtain the files, which Laloo Prasad says is enough to nail Paswan on corruption charges, and if the Railway Minister is not telling the truth, he should be dropped," BJP Parliamentary party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters.

Charging the two Ministers with eroding the dignity of the Parliament and the Cabinet, he demanded that both be dropped from the Ministry and investigations be ordered against the accusations they made against each other.

Taking strong exception to RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) members raising the charges levelled against BJP president L K Advani by his estranged daughter-in-law Gauri, Malhotra said the responsibility for the "smooth functioning" of Parliament was on the shoulders of the ruling coalition.

Condemning the RJD members' behaviour, he accused them of "holding the House to ransom" and warned, "if the Congress party and the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government fail to rein in their supporters, we have doubts about restraining our members."

In an apparent attempt to drive a wedge between Congress and RJD, Malhotra, however, appeared appreciative about the Congress "keeping itself out" of RJD protest.