BJP accuses UPA Govt. of providing shelter to the corrupt

New Delhi, Oct 25 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government of providing shelter and protection to all those indulging in corrupt practices. "Yesterday, late night, I have returned after 14 days of the 'Jan Chetna Yatra' with Advaniji. This yatra has already covered many areas of the country starting from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal, Assam, Bengal, Jharkhand, Andaman Nicobars, and thereafter, Chhattisgarh, Orissa. People of this country are very very angry against the twin menace of corruption and black money stashed away in foreign banks. They want effective and prompt action. But in place of taking any action, the UPA Government is out to shelter those who are indulging in corruption and also protecting them," Prasad told mediapersons here. "Why action is not being taken against Smt. Sheila Dikshit in spite of Shunglu Committee report and CAG report. Chidambaram, whose role warrants immediate investigation in 2G scam as to how he permitted loot of public money by disagreeing with senior officials of the Finance Ministry, has now been given further promotion by being equating with number two. This deep sense of disgust of the people of the country is being ignored with contempt by the UPA Government, the more they do the more they will face the anger of the people of the country which we are experiencing in the 'Jan Chetna Yatra' of Advaniji," he added. Prasad further said Advani's 'Jan Chetna Yatra' was not for any political ambition, but was for people of the country who are looking for a change. "This yatra is not for any party or political purposes, this yatra is for India, generations of India and the twin demands of action against corruption and a time bound programme to bring black money stashed abroad is ringing in the hearts of the people of the country. Day after tomorrow, we will commence it from Madurai, then Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra again and then to Gujarat," said Prasad. "We will continue to campaign in the entire country and we can see the great anger of the people of the country, who are yearning for a change," he added. Commenting on the bail given to Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh in connection with the cash-for-vote-scam, Prasad sought justice for his jailed party members saying it is very surprising that those who exposed the whole scandal will have to spend their 'Diwali' in jail. "In the cash-for-vote scam, it is very surprising that those who gave the bribe have been granted bail, those for whose benefit the bribe was given, their role is not being investigated. And those who were the whistle blowers, who exposed the most shameful solid episode in the democratic history of India, are forced to spend their 'Diwali' in jail. The nation is watching all this with deep sense of disgust and dismay," he added. In a temporary relief to Amar Singh, the Delhi High Court had on Monday granted bail to him in the 2008 cash-for-vote case but restrained him from leaving the country without its permission. While granting bail to 55-year-old Singh, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS under judicial custody, the court asked him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50 lakh and two sureties of like amount. It may be recalled here that a Delhi Court had last week denied bail to Sudheendra Kulkarni, former aide of BJP leader L K Advani, and an accused in the cash-for-vote case. Besides Kulkarni, the court also dismissed the bail pleas of two former BJP MPs Faggan Singh Kulaste and Mahabir Singh Bhagora, named as accused in the case, for receiving illegal gratification. The cash-for-votes scam had rocked proceedings in the Lok Sabha in 2008, when the ruling UPA Government, led by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, allegedly bribed lawmakers of other parties to help in wining the confidence vote. (ANI)