Bhubaneswar: Accusing UPA government of
being "selective and evasive" on corruption, BJP on Monday
demanded a White Paper on black money detailing the Centre`s
action plan for asset recovery from abroad and a special
session of Parliament to discuss the issue.
"BJP wants Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to share the
details of his government`s action plan for asset recovery
from foreign countries through a White Paper on black money,"
senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh told reporters here.
If the government is serious in its intent and
commitment it should convene a special session of Parliament
soon after the monsoon session to discuss and formulate a
national policy against black money and corruption which would
serve as a guideline, the former Union minister said.
Maintaining that yoga Guru Ramdev and social activist
Anna Hazare have raised legitimate issues on corruption, the
former BJP President said Congress-led UPA government` stance
on black money seems to be selective and evasive.
On one hand the government seems to be hesitant in
taking concrete action on black money as it could embarrass
the Congress, on the other hand it cracks down on followers of
social activists like Ramdev who were peacefully
demanding retrieval of black money, he said.
To a query, Singh claimed he was confident that no BJP
leader has black money in foreign banks.
Describing corruption as a "systemic risk" to the
country, he said without a firm will and an extensive action
plan to bring back black money the various committees formed
by the government would be rendered meaningless.
Happy that Ramdev has ended his hunger strike, the BJP
stalwart said his party would back the yoga Guru who should
reach out to people to spread his message against corruption.
"here is an unprecedented outrage and revulsion
against the clandestine manner in which UPA government is
dealing with issues of corruption and black money", he said.
On allegations of unaccounted money against Ramdev, he
said if the government suspects such a thing, it has the
authority to probe the charge.
Singh clarified that overwhelming response to
anti-corruption agitations by Anna Hazare and Ramdev was not
due to failure of national opposition political parties in
raising the issue. "BJP has been raising the issue in all fora
including Parliament," he said.
PTI
