When the Jain Hawala case erupted with the publication of the Jain diaries listing identities of politicians who received Hawala payments only some leaders were named with others identified by initials. Thus politicians close to Rajiv Gandhi were named with only the initials RG written alongside to indicate that the money given to the conduits was intended for Rajiv Gandhi. Now after many decades another similar scam involving another diary has surfaced. In the acrimonious and bitter war being fought between the BJP and Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal Miss Mamata Banerjee’s followers are claiming contents of a diary seized by the CBI from presently jailed businessman Mr. Subrata Roy.

TMC members of parliament claimed in the House that in one of the several the raids conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Mr. Roy a dairy were seized listing names of payment recipients. TMC MPs displayed dummy red diaries in the House and demanded explanation from the government after storming into the well of the House. TMC leader Mr. Sudip Bandhopadhyay said: “It is a fact that a ‘red’ diary was recovered by the CBI during the searches of the Sahara’s (Mr. Roy’s company) office. Why is our prime Minister silent on the issue?” TMC leader Mr. Derek O’Brien said: “It (the diary) was recovered during raids on Sahara premises that has names of NM and Amit Shah.”

Rejecting the TMC charges Minister of State Home Mr. Kiren Rijiju said: “These are baseless charges. No such diary was recovered.” Cabinet Minister Mr. Venkaiah Naidu cited rules forbidding naming of individuals not in the House and had Mr. Amit Shah’s name expunged from the parliamentary record. This should afford little satisfaction to the BJP. Mr. Rijiju’s denial does not suffice. Serious allegations have been made by members in parliament and they need to be officially rebutted or explained as the need might be. Prime Minister Mr. Modi because he has been alluded to, or Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh should make an official statement in response to the TMC allegations however wild or incredible they may sound.

If the government is nailing opposition leaders on charges of corruption and criminality it is only fair that it must respond to similar charges leveled by opposition leaders against the government.

It might be mentioned that in March 2013 in an exclusive interview given by Mr. Subrata Roy to Mint daily newspaper, while referring to political leaders, Mr. Roy said he said he had many friends among politicians − Mr. Amar Singh, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mr. Rajiv Shukla, Mr. Rajnath Singh, Mr. LK Advani, Mr. Digvijay Singh, Mr. Salman Khurshid and Mr. Narendra Modi. Mr. Roy claimed he was very close to all but he would not say to whom he was closest. If the controversy escalates new facts might emerge. Government would be well advised to respond promptly. The PM or HM must make an official statement in parliament. The public will expect nothing less.