Sonia slams BJP, says corruption rampant in Karnataka

Asking party MPs to expose the BJP’s “double standards and doublespeak” on corruption, she said: “Our government has nothing to hide, nothing to fear. Our concerns are that we should not undermine the established institutions such as the Public Accounts Committee and the CBI.”

Addressing a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party here, she asked: “Can the BJP make the same claim in Karnataka where corruption is rampant? 

Doublestandards

Accusing the BJP of double-standards, she said corruption was rampant in Karnataka but the BJP had failed to act against its chief minister in the State.

“Let us not forget that it was during the BJP-led NDA regime that a senior minister resigned after the defence scam was exposed but was re-instated even as the inquiry was under way”, she added, without mentioning the name of George Fernandes.
“And what about some of the leaders in the same party caught in camera taking money and later rehabilitated? The list is endless,” she said in an obvious reference to former BJP president Bangaru Laxman.

At the meeting on the concluding day of the winter session, which was washed away over the turmoil on the JPC issue, Gandhi said: “People of India will be entirely justified if they take a dim view of the manner in which the Opposition, especially the principle Opposition party, has disrupted every day of the session.”

“This has been the pattern from the day BJP was voted out of office in 2004. From the very first session of 14th Lok Sabha to the current one–every session has been disrupted on several days. It has required an enormous effort to pass essential government business,” she said.

Party sources said Gandhi did not refer directly to the Opposition demand for a JPC but made it abundantly clear that the party thinks that the steps taken by the government in 2G issue were sufficient and that it wanted to get to the root of the matter.

Complimenting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his “wise leadership” and declaring that the party “stands solidly behind him,” she made a veiled attack on the Opposition’s plan to summon the prime minister in case the government had yielded to the demand for a JPC. Gandhi made it clear that “there will be absolutely no tolerance for corruption and misconduct.”

Referring to the party’s poll debacle in Bihar, she said the party “did not have much expectations” from Bihar. “We will have to build the party there from scratch. It is a challenge. Although we are disappointed with the dismal results, there can be no room for despondency or demoralisation.”