Congress non-committal on barring criminally tainted legislators
By IANSSaturday, January 9, 2010
PANAJI - Congress leaders Saturday remained non-committal on the issue of barring criminally tainted people from entering India’s oldest national party, which is in the middle of a countrywide membership drive.
Congress leader Dwijendranath Sharma, addressing a press conference here, said there are procedures to screen those with criminal backgrounds, but refused to say that legislators with a criminal background would not be re-admitted into the party.
“Of course, we do not want people with criminal backgrounds. We have screening procedures in place. But it is up to the Pradesh Congress Committee to debar those with criminal backgrounds,” said Sharma, who is in charge of the recruitment drive in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Goa.
Among legislators with criminal backgrounds is former Goa finance minister Dayanand Narvekar, who has been charge sheeted for printing fake cricket match tickets.
The cabinet of the state’s coalition government has several tainted ministers, including Education Minister Atanasio Montserrate and Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco.
