Friday, December 23 2005 19:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for dilly-dallying on taking action against ten MPs involved in the 'cash-for-query' scam, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) today (Dec 23, 2005) said stringent measures would also serve as a warning to future parliamentarians.

"The BJP is dilly-dallying on the issue. None from that party had earlier demanded that the matter be referred to Parliament's Privileges Committee. It is only now that they are raising this issue," party leader Basudeb Acharia told reporters here.

"Action against the MPs (involved) would also serve as a warning for future MPs," he said.

Observing that the House had every right to take action against any member, Acharia, a member of the five-member Committee which recommended expulsion of the ten MPs, said the entire Opposition was suspended for ten days in 1987.

He rebutted BJP's allegations that the concerned MPs were not given chance to explain their point of view by the Committee and said all the ten members were called and their views taken note of and they were given enough opportunity.

"None of them even sought screening of the video footage of the TV channel" which showed them accepting bribes, Acharia said.