Amidst slogans of takht badal do, taj badal do, bhrashtachar ka raaj badal do, the Opposition National Democratic Alliance launched the first of a series of 12 planned rallies to demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh resign if he was unable to allow a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the recent series of controversies.
Attacking the PM for allegedly not allowing proper investigations in the 2G spectrum allocation controversy, the Commonwealth Games scam and the recent Adarsh Housing Society scandal, NDA leaders alleged Singh always needed directions from Congress President Sonia Gandhi.
“The PM’s office has a lot of powers but he has failed to use these. We will ensure the message of this rally goes to every panchayat and city by the end of the campaign,” said L K Advani, the seniormost leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Advani said a senior Congress member had informed him that Singh was ready for a JPC but the plan got scuttled.
“Our resolve to fight corruption is not limited to Parliament and now this fight will continue on the streets. The PM has said that the he has nothing to hide. If this is true, what is the reason he doesn’t want to come before a JPC,” asked Arun Jaitley, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
Speaking before a gathering at the RamLila Maidan in Delhi, the NDA leaders alleged the Congress was responsible for not allowing Parliament to function normally during the winter session. “When you (Prime Minister) are sitting at the top post, your ministers are involved in scams and it’s your government, in such a case who else will act against corruption? Are you waiting for the Gods to come down and fight corruption?” questioned Sharad Yadav, convener of the NDA and president of the Janata Dal (United).
“When the Congress party cannot stop its ministers from looting the country, it is the job of the Opposition parties to join hands to fight. The government and the Congress party should stop making false promises to people that they will act against corruption,” said Nitin Gadkari, national head of the BJP.
