Madurai: Accusing the government of
selectively targeting people allegedly involved in various
scams, BJP leader L K Advani on Friday said it was "scrupulously"
protecting itself from any probe.
The BJP leader, who is on the second leg of his yatra
against corruption, said the alleged role of some Congress
leaders and their contribution to the scams should be probed.
"While so many ministers belonging to allies have been
punished, the ruling party has very carefully and
scrupulously protected itself. There are demands that the role
of some members, senior leaders of Congress party (and) their
contribution to these scams should be probed. These demands
have not been accepted so far", he told reporters.
He said the last two years have been "very depressing
because of the surfacing of numerous scams involving for the
first time in the history of Independent India, several
members of Central government who have not only to be removed
from office because of those scams, but also to be lodged in
Tihar prison of Delhi".
"One cannot say who else is going to join company with
them (in jail)."
PTI
Referring to the cash-for-vote scam, Advani said the
episode has "sullied" Indian democracy and added that instead
of bribe givers, the "whistle-blowers" were punished.
On Congress leader Digvijay Singh`s remarks that the
anti-corruption stir by Anna Hazare was an over-all plan of
RSS-BJP, Advani said he was surprised that a senior leader
like Singh has made such comments repeatedly and his own party
has disassociated from it.
To a question on the corruption charges against BJP
leaders in Karnataka, he said there was "no soft corner" in
the party for any kind of corruption.
"Everyone knows that so far as the BJP is concerned, the
moment there was a report from Lokayukta, he (Yeddyurappa) was
asked to leave. There is no soft corner in the BJP, for any
kind of corruption", he said.
On the controversial Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project, he
said, "There has to be caution. The first and foremost
consideration has to be safety and security of people".
"The entire world including countries which have had
nuclear plants for development of energy for a long time
have decided for a second view on all those plants,
particularly if they are close to the ocean. So, there is no
reason, why India should not adopt a same approach," he said.
On demands for clemency to the three Rajiv Gandhi
assassins, Advani said court decisions should not be meddled
with on political grounds. "Whether it is Rajiv Gandhi killers
or the attackers of Indian Parliament, whatever decision has
been taken by the Court should not be meddled on political
grounds", he said.
PTI
