Blair defends Hindujas' donation

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, MAY 14. The British Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair, has defended the Hindujas' controversial œ one million donation to the Millennium Dome three years ago saying it came from the Hindujas' Foundation which ``gives money to vast numbers of different things''. He also fended off attacks on the ailing Europe Minister, Mr. Keith Vaz, for his links with the Hindujas, and his help in getting them British citizenship.

Mr. Blair said that every allegation against Mr. Vaz had been disproved by the Hammond inquiry into the Hindujas' passport affair. ``I keep saying to people if you provide evidence that he has done something wrong then we look at it. The Hammond inquiry looked into it and cleared him completely,'' he argued.

His remarks, during an interview at BBC's Breakfast with Frost, came amid fresh questions about the Hinduja brothers' links with the Blair administration and demand for reopening the Hammond inquiry in the light of revelations that they mediated between New Delhi and Downing Street over India's nuclear tests in 1998. Leaked letters, released by a Tory MP, Mr. Andrew Tyrie, here last week, have been seized upon by the Labour critics to accuse Mr. Blair of concealing the degree of the Hinduja brothers' access to Downing Street. Mr. Tyrie has demanded that these and other letters of this nature, if any, should be handed over to Sir Anthony Hammond for a fresh probe. Speculation that letters may have been leaked by Hindujas to embarrass the Vajpayee Government at a time when they think it is harassing them over the Bofors scandal was scotched by Mr. S.P. Hinduja in New Delhi, according to The Times. It said:``Srichand Hinduja bridled when asked if he had furnished Mr. Tyrie with the letters saying:``Am I a fool? How does it help me?''

Observers, however, maintained that the letters did reinforce the Hindujas' claim about their access to high places - and as the correspondence show this included the highest echelons of the Vajpayee Government which used their services for a sensitive diplomatic campaign, bypassing the official channels, including the Indian High Commission here.

Meanwhile, interest has now shifted to the imminent return of the Hinduja brothers' from India amid reports that their presence in Britain in the midst of an election campaign could be exploited by Labour's critics to attack the Blair Government on ``sleaze''.

``The Labour party's high command is uneasy about the prospect of the Hindujas returning into the heat of the general election battle, where ministers will inevitably face questions over the financing of Millennium Dome'', The Times said. The Hindujas' office here had ``absolutely no idea'' when they were expected to return.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Seven Pak. Army officers forced to retire
Next     : Berlusconi storms back to power