Saturday, May 28 2005 20:28 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A day after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave a "clean chit" to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (May 28, 2005) charged the ruling coalition with "conspiring" to dismiss its Government in Gujarat.

"Have you ever heard of any ministerial committee to look into the allegations of an official? The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government has belittled the position of Cabinet Ministers to look into the charges of a frustrated and disgruntled officer who lacks credibility and has a history of malicious prosecution?," party spokesperson Sushma Swaraj told reporters in New Delhi.

She was referring to Law Minister H R Bharadwaj's recent announcement that a Ministerial Committee was examining whether or not an independent agency should probe charges levelled by Additional DGP Sreekumar accusing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of allowing the post-Godhra riots to go out of control.

"The Nanavati Commission is probing into the post-Godhra violence while the Banerjee Committee is looking into Godhra.

Our charge is that the Government is conspiring to dismiss the Modi Government, which has become an eyesore for them", she said, adding they are "concocting wolf and lamb stories".

Taking exception to the removal of three members of the National Commission for Women, she said this "unprecedented" action was taken without giving them an opportunity to be heard.

Describing the action as "danger to democracy", she said, "The Prime Minister is mistaken if he thinks that his image will remain intact despite all this".