New Delhi: Even as the joint committee
has begun discussions on a new Lokpal Bill, senior BJP leader
LK Advani on Sunday said the UPA government`s "sincerity" in
tackling corruption would be visible only through the actions
taken by it in scams like the 2G and CWG.
"Even before Parliament meets for its Monsoon Session
and takes up the Lokpal Bill being considered by the committee
secured by Anna Hazare, the real test of government`s
sincerity about tackling corruption will be what action it
takes about the three scams," he wrote in his blog.
The three scams include the 2G spectrum scam, the
Commonwealth Games scam and the Mumbai Defence Land (Adarsh
Cooperative Housing Society) scam, he said.
The joint committee of ministers and members from
civil society met here yesterday and hoped that the new law
will be brought in Monsoon session of Parliament.
Observing that the country was "really angry" over
corruption, Advani said it is generally accepted that
corruption prevails not because of a lack of necessary laws,
but because those in the establishment lack the will to punish
the scamsters.
Attacking the government for not doing much to bring
back the black money stashed abroad, the BJP leader said,
"Another sore point with the masses is that in recent years
while Western countries like the US and Germany have succeeded
in penetrating into the banking secrecy laws of tax havens
like Switzerland and getting back their own wealth, the Government
of India has made no earnest efforts in this regard."
"It has not even ratified the UN Convention against
Corruption adopted in 2004. The enormous amount of black money
stashed abroad by Indians must be brought back without delay,"
he added.
In his blog, Advani also praised the `The Hindu` for
publishing India-related leaked American diplomatic cables.
Advani said he found the remarks made by WikiLeaks
editor Julian Assange about Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as
to be "highly uncomplimentary".
Assange had said that though he didn`t have proof but
it seemed that the Indian Prime Minister was not personally
corrupt but "here`s a clear attempt to cover up for the
possible corruption of other people".
The remarks were made by him in an interview carried
by `The Hindu` where he was asked to react on Prime Minister
Singh questioning the authenticity of the leaked American
diplomatic cables.
PTI
