New Delhi: The silence by Congress top brass
at the AICC session on Tuesday on scams involving party leaders
fuelled a war of words with the BJP asking whether it was
"completely neutral" to corruption and the Congress saying
this issue does not have to be reminded by everyone.
The BJP seized on the silence maintained by Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi over Mumbai
housing and Commonwealth Games scams in their addresses when
they skirted these issues to taunt the Congress.
Both Suresh Kalmadi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok
Chavan who were linked to the two scams were present at the
meet held at the Talkatora Stadium.
"Is the Congress indifferent to corruption and has
become completely neutral to corruption," BJP spokesperson
Nirmala Sitharaman asked at her daily news briefing.
Sitharaman said the BJP is surprised why none of the
Congress leaders uttered a "word" on corruption and did not
voice outrage at the recent scams.
"It is not a party disciplinary matter. It is a question
of national interest," Sitharaman said, wondering why the
Congress leadership was not acting on the resignation offered
by Chavan in the wake of the Adarsh Housing Society
controversy.
But the Congress sought to explain the silence of the
party leadership on corruption at the AICC session with senior
leader Digvijay Singh saying there is no need to flag the
issue at every event.
"Corruption is definitely an issue but it does not have
to be reminded by everyone," Singh said, adding action is
being taken regarding CWG and Mumbai housing scams.
When asked by newsmen why there was no mention of
corruption and scams at the AICC session, Digvijay Singh said
Congress has got a code of ethics which is being followed.
"One does not have to repeat all these things every
time, every speech," he said.
Singh said appropriate action has been taken regarding
CWG.
"All charges of corruption are being enquired into by
the highest body and you will have to wait for that now," he
added.
Regarding the Mumbai housiNG scam, Singh said whether
corruption or some kind of nepotism is involved action will be
taken after due diligence by the Congress` high-level
two-member panel.
Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj alleged that the
Congress was making deliberate attempts to divert the people`s
attention from major scams like in Commonwealth Games and 2G
Spectrum deal under the cover of the Adarsh controversy and
said the NDA would raise these issues in Parliament.
"Deliberate attempts are being made to divert the
people`s attention from the major scams under the cover of the
Adarsh Colony Scam", Swaraj told reporters in Patna,
She also demanded that the resignation tendered by the
Maharshtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan be accepted without
any delay.
PTI
