TDP charges PM with `protecting` corruption

New Delhi: TDP on Friday charged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with "protecting corruption" and termed his press conference as an attempt to cover up his government`s failures.

"This Prime Minister has protected corruption. He may be a good man... Ultimately lot of corruption took place during his time," TDP Parliamentary Party Leader Nama Nageshwara Rao told reporters here. He alleged that UPA was unable to control corruption and instead, in a way, supported it. "All the time in the 15th Lok Sabha was wasted due to discussions on scams. Almost one session was held up due to the 2G scam and the same thing happened in coal scam, mining mafia scam and Delhi airport scams," he added. Rao also wondered how the common man would be benefited by the nuclear deal with the US, which Singh identified as the best moment in his career as prime minister during his press conference earlier in the day. "What benefit does a common man in the country gets?" he asked, while adding that the country was suffering due to wrong policies. Reacting to Singh`s observation that Narendra Modi as Prime Minister will be disastrous for the nation, Rao said the country has suffered a disaster under Congress rule. "The next government should clean up the disaster and lead the nation towards development," he noted. He also termed the press conference as an attempt to cover up the UPA`s government`s failures.