Mahagathbandhan leaders demanding withdrawal of general consent to CBI to protect acts of graft: BJP

Senior Bihar BJP leader Vijay Kumar Sinha on Monday alleged that ruling Mahagathbandhan leaders are demanding the withdrawal of general consent to CBI to ''protect acts of graft and corrupt politicians in the Grand Alliance''.

Many leaders in the seven-party ruling alliance are raising the demand, the most vocal being RJD, whose top leaders like Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and many close members of their family and key aides have been named in cases lodged by the CBI.

The Leader of Opposition, while speaking to reporters, said, ''The demand to withdraw general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Bihar is being made with a malafide intention.'' ''If the state government takes any such decision, it would be simply to protect acts of corruption and the corrupt leaders in the Mahagathbandhan. If they (ruling alliance leaders) are honest, why are they so scared of the CBI?'' he said.

Sinha wondered why Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was silent over the demand.

''The CM is trying to save the corrupt and extend political patronage to the leaders involved in graft and criminal activities. Any such move would be unconstitutional and against the federal structure of the country,'' he added.