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Sacked UP minister takes his case to Vajpayee

Sacked Uttar Pradesh Education Minister Ravindra Shukla on Wednesday met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Home Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani and apprised them of what he described as "unfair treatment" given to him by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh in the recent controversy on the recitation of Vande Mataram and Saraswati Vandana in the government-run basic schools in the state.

Shukla, who met Vajpayee at his office in Parliament House, gave a brief account of his version on the controversy and handed over papers showing developments which led to issue of a government order for rendition of these two songs under 'Kalpa Yojna' scheme in schools. He briefed Advani too about the episode which led to his exit from office.

Shukla was dismissed by Kalyan Singh on charges of keeping the chief minister's office in the dark while implementing the policy which sparked off a controversy.

After his meeting with the prime minister, Shukla said he had not demanded anything from the party high command, and detailed the "gross injustice" meted out to him while Kalyan Singh had full knowledge of the entire issue.

Taking strong exception to his dismissal, Shukla ruled out meeting Kalyan Singh and reiterated that he would remain a loyal soldier of the BJP as he was in the past, ending speculation that he might leave the party in protest against his removal.

Shukla said he met with RSS chief Rajendra Singh after he was dropped from the Kalyan Singh ministry.

Asked what was the reaction of the BJP and RSS leaders regarding his complaint against Kalyan Singh, he made it clear that he explained his position to them and they gave him a patient hearing.

"Neither have I demanded anything from them, nor did they assure me anything,'' Shukla said, and regretted that he was maltreated by Singh when he was attending to his wife who is being treated for cancer in Bombay.

Shukla was convinced that Kalyan Singh had deliberately misled the prime minister on the Vande Mataram issue, when he had told him categorically that the GO was issued.

Shukla, who is making a determined bid to nail the ''lie'' being spread against him, said the GO was issued only after clearance of the concerned file by Kalyan Singh, who is "now finding a scapegoat" in him.

He said the GO was approved by Kalyan Singh and he had even mentioned it in his budget speech, and government advertisements were also released in that connection.

Shukla said some corrupt officials had misled Singh and they played a key role in his dismissal.

According to him, Singh had approved the Kalp Yojna scheme on June 6, 1998 and the concerned file came to him on July 21. Thereafter, approval was given by him on July 25.

He said on June 12, Alok Ranjan, then secretary, finance, told him that in the wake of the chief minister's consent to the Kalp Yojna, the department was in principle agreed for the supplementary budget.

Shukla said the GO was issued by the secretary, basic education, and as per rules of business, the GO was issued by secretariat and not by the ministers.

UNI

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