Friday, December 2 2005 18:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Dec 2,2005) slammed as 'totally disappointing' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on the Volcker issue in the Lok Sabha and charged him with attempting to protect Congress leaders allegedly involved in the Iraqi oil deals.

"The Prime Minister's statement is totally disappointing. It is a shameful attempt to save Congress leaders. Despite the revelations by Indian Ambassador to Croatia, Manmohan Singh has sought to give a very routine response," BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V K Malhotra told reporters here.

Accusing the Congress of 'Keeping the country in dark and misleading the people', he said, "In the name of civilisation clash, they were engaged in bribes and bargains".

On the Prime Minister's remarks that the ED has assured the Government that its investigations were proceeding on the 'right track' and it would be able to establish the facts expeditiously, he said, "In fact, it was the Prime Minister who should have directed the ED to work impartially".

Recalling that Government had not given permission to prosecute Congress leader Satish Sharma in the petrol pump scam, he wondered as to how the ED will have the guts to take action when Natwar Singh continues to be a Union Minister.

"It is a cover up move without any concrete action. Both Natwar Singh and Sonia Gandhi should resign and CBI case should be registered in the matter," he said adding the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting on Monday morning would discuss the alliance's strategy in Parliament on the issue.