'Awakening' India will not let 'abusive' polity go 'scot-free': BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday said the consecutive day arrests of Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rasheed Masood and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection to corruption cases stand proof to a changing India against corruption, and said that the time had come for increased accountability in polity.

"Ultimately, law is catching up with those who are in politics and who have abused the system for their personal gains. We have to pay for it. ...India's democracy and the urge for probity in public life is rising," Prasad said.

"Those who are in politics must understand (that) a new India is awakening, where if you commit corruption, you will not go scot-free," he added.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Balbir Punj also appreciated the judiciary's commitment to booking fraudulent lawmakers, and said that his party was amongst the leaders of the anti-corruption movement in the country.

"Well, this is a welcome judgement. It looks like the agitation which took place against corruption led by Baba Ramdev or Anna Hazare or Bharatiya Janata Party, ultimately it is having an impact," Punj said.

"Even the judiciary is moving in the matter-it has responded to the public sentiment, and it is also a warning to all those politicians who control the top positions, or the bureaucrats that you are accountable to the system, and if you don't live up to the levels of integrity properly in public life, then you will have to pay for it sooner or later," he added.

Punj also said that he hoped for a quicker judicial process.

"I wish we could expedite the whole thing, rather than cases taking so long, and decisions coming so late. But, all the same, it is a welcomed decision," he said.

Masood has become the first legislator to be disqualified after a Delhi court sentenced him to four years in jail in connection with the MBBS seat scam.

The 66-year-old Congress leader had been convicted of cheating, forgery and corruption in an MBBS seat scam.

Two other accused, former IPS officer Gurdayal Singh and former IAS officer AK Roy, have also been sentenced to four years in jail; while seven students who were also involved in the scam got one-year jail term.

" Rasheed Masood four years, Roy four years, Gurdayal Singh four years. The student beneficiaries one year," said Harpreet, the defence lawyer. She added that Masood was calm during the sentencing.

As Minister of Health in the V P Singh Government between 1990 and 1991, Masood was held guilty of fraudulently nominating undeserving candidates to MBBS seats allotted to Tripura in medical colleges across the country from the central pool.