Cong issues show cause to MP for utterances on sex scandal

NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: Embarassed by its Jammu and Kashmir MP Madan Lal Sharma's accusing the Speaker and an MLA of being involved in a sex scandal, the party on Tuesday issued him a showcause notice for making "false and unwarranted" remarks.

Taking "serious notice" of the utterances of the MP from Jammu against Speaker Tara Chand and MLA Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, state party chief Saifuddin Soz asked him to reply within a week as to why "disciplinary action" should not be taken against him for making the remarks which amount to "gross indiscipline and misconduct".

In the notice, Soz referred to Sharma's remarks made at a public meeting in Khour in Jammu on Sunday in which he alleged he had approached Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and that they had 'intervened to save' Chand and Sayeed from being 'implicated' in the alleged case of sex abuse which came to light in 2006.

"I have taken serious notice of the false, uncalled for and unwarranted remarks," the state unit chief, who is also Union Minister, said.

"While making the said allegations, you did not consider it necessary to take notice of the fact that the Jammu and Kashmir government had acted fast when the matter came to its notice and referred the matter straightaway to the CBI for inquiry," the notice to Sharma said.

The showcause to Sharma came after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Srinagar that action would be taken against him.

Azad termed Sharma's charges against the Speaker and former PCC chief and his claim that they were saved by top party leaders were false.