BJP attacks PM Manmohan Singh for Dinesh Trivedi's removal

NEW DELHI: Attacking the Prime Minister over the removal of Dinesh Trivedi, the BJP today said if the former Railways Minister was sacked due to increase in fares, the role of the Prime Minister and Finance Minister should also be questioned in the whole episode.

Trivedi, who had presented the Rail Budget on Wednesday, was replaced by Trinamool Congress with Mukul Roy after party chief Mamata Banerjee opposed the increase in rail fares.

Taking part in the discussion on Rail Budget, Balbir Punj (BJP) said, "Is it not correct that the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister had given their blessings to the Rail Budget presented by Trivedi? Should these two not be questioned?"

The BJP leader said the two had also praised Trivedi for presenting a good budget but later on he was forced to resign.

Punj said Trivedi's case is like that of a student who has performed well in exam and is praised by his school headmaster for the achievement. "The next day his headmaster pulls his ears and rusticates him for doing well. What should we make of this headmaster and his role," he said.

Punj said even before Trivedi could end his speech, discussions had started about his survival in office and the government made a "mockery" of the whole process.

Commenting on relations between Roy and Manmohan Singh, he said once he was asked by the Prime Minister to visit a rail accident site but the former refused to do so and asked the latter to himself visit the place.

"How will the Prime Minister work with such a colleague," Punj wondered.

He said the resignation of Trivedi was shrouded in mystery as even before the Rail Budget was presented, people had started talking about his sacking.