New Delhi: BJP on Wednesday held UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi equally responsible for the "inaction" against corruption in government and claimed that she reflected the opposition`s sentiments by saying that mere speeches were not enough to end graft. "The UPA Chairperson has said in her speech at a programme in Uttarakhand that public speeches will not end corruption. I think she has read out our statement. We have been saying for long that corruption is not going to end by speeches," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain.
Gandhi`s speech was read out in her absence as she kept away from the programme due to ill-health.
The opposition demanded that Gandhi should inform the people about the steps taken by her government to tackle corruption.
"The hands of both the UPA-I and UPA-II governments are soiled in corruption," Hussain said.
Listing the series of corruption cases that have taken place since the Congress-led government has been power, the BJP said no action had been taken against Home Minister P Chidambaram despite his involvement in 2G spectrum scam or against Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit in the Commonwealth Games scam. The party also sought to know why former Telecom Minister A Raja is in jail while Chidambaram is holding a key cabinet berth when "both have committed the same mistake".
"Only talking at Congress conclaves, public meetings and in Parliament that you will fight against corruption and then not taking any step will not do," Hussain said.
BJP alleged that she was as responsible as the Prime Minister for failing to fight corruption.
"In the Adarsh Housing scam, though Union ministers Sushil Kumar Shinde and Vilasrao Deshmukh have been questioned by the CBI, they continue to be in the Cabinet. Gandhi should also tell us why Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat is being shielded in the mining scam in the state," Hussain said.
PTI