Advani walks the talk on corruption

BANGALORE: In a clear message to the corruption-ridden state BJP leadership, senior party leader L K Advani categorically stated that he will not tolerate corruption in his party and cautioned the state leaders not to indulge in anything that would jeopardise the party’s fight against corruption.“Good governance cannot co-exist with corruption. I am not saying this only about the Congress, but also about my party. If we want to fight corruption, it should include corruption in our party also. I am not one to accept corruption by our own men,” Advani said while addressing a public rally organised here on Sunday evening as part of his Jan Chetna yatra. The rally was, however, marred by heavy rains, thus dampening the spirit of party workers who had gathered in large numbers. Indirectly referring to former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, who is now cooling his heels in Parappana Agrahara central prison on corruption charges, Advani said that the party did act immediately after the Lokayukta report was submitted. He also heaped praises on Yeddyurappa’s successor D V Sadananda Gowda and hoped that he would give good governance to the people of the state. “I had a brief interaction with Gowda and with that I can make out that he is going on in a right direction. I am hopeful that he will give good governance,” Advani said, thus indicating that party’s mind set to think beyond Yeddyurappa who was an integral part of it over four decades.In his 45-minutes speech, though Advani did refer to the 2G spectrum, Adarsh Housing Society and CWG scams, his stress was mainly on cash for votes scam which he considered as the biggest and ugliest scam the country had ever witnessed. “I feel that the cash for votes scam is more serious than other scams as it had put our country to shame in the eyes of the world, Advani said adding that the arrest of two BJP MPs who exposed the scam was forced him to take-up Yatra and mobilise public support against corruption,” says Advani.“I never thought of this Yatra till September 6. But arrest of our two MPs angered me and I instantly decided to roam around the country and tell this to the people. All over the world whistle -blowers are protected by their respective governments. But in this case, those who exposed the scam are behind bars,” he added. He also stressed the need for bringing back black money stashed in foreign banks. According to an estimation about Rs 25 lakh crore Indian money is deposited Swiss banks. If we bring this money bank, we can improve entire rural India, Advani added.