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Former Bharatiya Janata Party president Bangaru Laxman denied involving the Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra and his son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya in "deals" mentioned in the Tehelka tapes but admitted committing the "mistake" of accepting money.
"I was telling them that we talk to Mishra for getting inputs from him on various aspects as the question of bureaucracy came up during the long discussions. I have never said that he was involved in deals," Laxman told Hardtalk India programme on BBC World Service.
When asked about Bhattacharya, he said "It was they who were suggesting many things. I never suggested that Ranjan made money from power projects."
To a question whether he considered it was a "stupid mistake" on his part to accept money from arms dealers, Laxman, who quit the party president's post in the wake of the expose, said "I admit it was a mistake."
Maintaining that he accepted the money for the party fund, he said though it was publicly stated by BJP leadership five or six years ago that funds for the party would be accepted only through cheques, "we had to change the policy" as it was difficult to get funds during the two or three elections the party faced in a short span of time.
Asked why he accepted the money from a "fictitious" arms dealer, Laxman said "They appeared to be genuine businessmen who said they would get investments to the tune of Rs 50 billion to the country in the infrastructure sector."
When the interviewer persisted that he talked about defence deals during the conversation, a defensive Laxman said "How could a tape prepared after fudging, dubbing and interpolations to suit their own agenda be the basis for such a view."
He said he had no doubt that his voice was imitated in the tapes. "Do you think my voice could not be imitated," he asked and added "It is a part of conspiracy."
He also denied having asked the Tehelka team to pay the second installment in dollars saying "I do not have any dollar account. My party does not have any dollar account."
Asked whether his political career has come to an end, Laxman said "I will abide by the party decision in this regard. The truth will come out one day. My conscience is clear. Whatever donations I have received I have always accounted for it."
To a question as to why even a single BJP functionary did not come to his defence though they were solidily behind George Fernandes, Laxman said "I never asked for any defence". He refused to comment on the statement of RSS that he failed to live upto the standards of a "Swayam Sevak."
PTI
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