Sunday, October 16 2005 14:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Charging the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Center with trying to sweep under the carpet the issue of alleged funding of the party by the Soviet secret service, KGB, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President L K Advani today (Oct 16, 2005) said his party would vehemently raise the issue in the coming session of Parliament.

''An attempt is being made by the government to sweep such a sensitive issue, which concerns national security, under the carpet. We will vehemently raise the matter which has come to light after a mega-expose,'' he told a news conference.

Advani alleged it had been known to many that Congress received foreign funds as was manifest in its plush party offices across the country, even where the party was almost non-existent.

''Only a detailed inquiry into the entire gamut of the expose by a former Soviet archivist can bring out the truth in totality and so we have demanded a judicial probe. The Government must also come out with a white paper on the subject,'' he demanded.

While acknowledging that Congress had played a crucial role in the freedom struggle, Advani said the archivist had maintained that the party received funds even for fighting polls.

''This is a serious matter,'' he said.

Referring to the charge by a former RAW official that some top leaders of the erstwhile Jan Sangh were also in touch with KGB operatives, Advani said, ''An inquiry will reveal everything.''

Even the RAW official had maintained that Jan Sangh leaders were only in touch with KGB and not that they had received money.

''Operatives of secret services of any country don't disclose their identities and they meet you in the garb of embassy officials or journalists. How would one know the real identity of these operatives?,'' he said.