Congress plays down opposition demand for Rail Minister's resignation

Congress on Saturday brushed aside demands for Railway Minister PK Bansal's resignation, saying it has become a 'disease' of the opposition to make such demands.

"For those who are demanding resignation, it has become a disease," Congress General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi told reporters here.

He said Bansal has himself given a clarification in connection with the probe against his of his nephew for allegedly fixing top level promotions in the Railway Board.

"The Railway Minister himself has given a clarification and said that there should be a thorough probe into the matter. I don't think we can expect any thing more from him," Dwivedi said in a brief reaction to developments surrounding Bansal.

The BJP has demanded the sacking of Bansal and a CBI prosecution against him, with party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad saying that seeking pecuniary advantage by someone close to the Railway Minister and abusing the authority of the minister is a "copybook case" for prosecution.

Communist Party of India- Marxist CPI (M) also has demanded his resignation.

Bansal's nephew V Singla was on Friday arrested by the CBI on Friday in connection with accepting bribe of Rs 90 lakh for fixing a top-level position in the government.

Bansal, distanced himself from his nephew, saying he had no business of financial links with him.