december 16, 1994

The Prime Minister, Mr. P. V. Narasimha Rao, today came under intense pressure from his colleagues in the party and the Government to seek the resignations of Ministers “tainted with charges of corruption.” A group of 18 Ministers, comprising Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers, met Mr. Rao soon after a meeting of the general body of the Congress (I) parliamentary party (CPP) and offered their resignations, if that could help him remove those perceived to be corrupt, from the Union Council of Ministers.

Opposition demands Govt’s resignation

The Opposition today demanded the resignation of the Narasimha Rao Government, holding it “fully responsible” for the multicrore sugar scam. Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were stalled by a determined Opposition for the third consecutive day seeking immediate tabling of the Gian Prakash Committee report on the sugar muddle. Participating in an impromptu discussion during zero hour in the Lok Sabha in the wake of the resignation by the Civil Supplies Minister, Mr. A. K. Antony leader of the Opposition, Mr. A. B. Vajpayee, asserted that the Prime Minister had no “moral justification” to continue in office.

Reforms have human face, say PM supporters

Supporters of P. V Narasimha Rao have debunked the theory floated by his political opponents within the party and the Government that the economic reforms initiated by the Rao Government three years ago in June 1991 were pro-rich and anti-poor. They, in fact, argued that it had all the inputs for alleviating poverty even as it tried to ensure a faster economic growth rate with a manageable inflation rate.

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