New Delhi, Oct. 2: L.K. Advani today asked the Centre for a time-bound white paper on how Indian politicians accepted foreign funds since Independence, putting the onus on the Prime Minister, who “had nothing to do with the events of that era”.

The BJP president’s demand follows claims in the second volume of the Mitrokhin Archive that the KGB “infiltrated” the Indian establishment in the 1970s and paid off Congress and CPI leaders.

Advani also demanded a “comprehensive” inquiry by a Supreme Court judge into the subject. He put the ball in the Prime Minister’s court.

“The PM had nothing to do with the events of that era. The people cannot forget that when the Nanavati Commission described the 1984 killings in the capital as an ‘organised crime’, it was Dr Manmohan Singh who mustered (the) courage to apologise publicly to the nation for the gory happenings. He personally had nothing to do with those crimes,” the BJP chief said.

The situation is “very similar” with the KGB revelations and, if the Prime Minister announces his government will come out with a white paper and order a judicial inquiry, he will be serving a “two-fold cause”, Advani argued.

“Firstly, patriotism, and next, integrity in public life. And he would simultaneously be redeeming the country of the stigma that may stick to us because of these exposures.”

The BJP had used the Nanavati Commission’s report on the 1984 riots to “drive a wedge” between Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. For, the anti-Sikh violence had indirectly involved Rajiv Gandhi (who obliquely justified it as a reaction to Indira Gandhi’s assassination) and some of his aides.

When Singh apologised to the nation in Parliament, the BJP’s calculation was he would not “endear” himself to either Sonia or the Congress.

Apparently, a similar political calculation has sparked its demands on the KGB controversy because it relates to the Indira Gandhi government and Emergency.

According to the Mitrokhin papers, the KGB in 1975 spent more than ?10 million (at the exchange rate then) to “influence operations” to support Indira Gandhi and “undermine” her political opponents. In 1977, the Russian agency allegedly financed some Congress ministers’ poll campaigns.

Advani said the country hopes Singh will “respond boldly to our plea and clinch the issue”.

Advani’s press conference was his first since the controversial Pakistan visit. He refused to take any question on his problems with the RSS or the BJP-Sangh equation, insisting the KGB issue must not be “sidetracked” by anything else.

He argued that the KGB “funding” was ironical because in 1973, the Centre had tabled in Parliament the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Bill, which was passed in 1976 after being referred to a joint select committee.

The law banned all government employees, MPs, MLAs, political parties, their functionaries, election candidates and journalists from accepting foreign money.

“Was this not a monstrous fraud on democracy that those in government were accepting crores and crores without any hesitation whatsoever?”the BJP president asked.

Advani said the white paper should cover all foreign sources, including the CIA and the ISI.