Terming senior Congress leader P Chidambaram as 'unsuccessful' as the Union home minister, even as the finance minister earlier, former Bharatiya Janata Party president Murli Manohar Joshi on Sunday demanded that Prime Minister should seek his resignation.
He also sought a Central Bureau of Investigation probe against Chidambaram. Referring to Chidambaram's statement that there was no intelligence input on the recent blasts in Mumbai, Joshi said, "It is a matter of grave concern, especially so when there are many intelligence agencies working under MHA, besides military intelligence and the state intelligence network. We also have an intelligence-sharing agreement with a number of countries and despite all this, when he says there is no information, then certainly it is a matter of great concern," Joshi told mediapersons at the party office in Bhopal.
It seemed there was no preparedness to deal with terror attacks, he said. Further, Joshi alleged that 2G spectrum scam took place on Chidambaram's watch, when he was the finance minister.
He wrote to the Prime Minister that whatever happened was bound to happen and it was now a "closed chapter", Joshi said.
The BJP leader also blamed Chidambaram, besides the petroleum minister, for approving Krishna-Godavari basin gas exploration project despite the fact that the cost of the project had risen sharply.
All these things proved that Chidambaram was an unsuccessful minister and the Prime Minister should seek his resignation immediately, Joshi said.
The BJP leader also referred to allegations levelled against Chidambaram's election as MP by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalitha. He said that a CBI probe should be initiated against Chidambaram in view of all these matters.
Meanwhile, the former BJP president also said that Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's continuous tirade against Hindu organisations gave an opportunity to Pakistan to escape the blame on the issue of terrorism at international forums.
"Digvijay's statement for the sake of few votes may put the country in danger as it gives an opportunity to Pakistan to save itself on the issue of terrorism at the international level," Joshi said. To date, nothing had been proved, he said.
"Who is Singh trying to please" by highlighting the issue of saffron terrorism, he asked.
After the recent blasts in Mumbai, Singh had said that possible role of Hindu organisations could not be ruled out during the probe. Such things disrupted harmony in the country, Joshi added.
Saffron was symbol of valour and peace, and that was why it got the top place on the Tricolour, he said. People should not talk about terrorism with an eye on vote bank, the senior BJP leader said.
