Corruption bleeding people dry, says Rahul at FICCI

Addressing India Inc, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said corruption is biggest challenge for the country and is bleeding the people dry and added that the UPA II government has done more than any other government to combat corruption.

Speaking at the FICCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) here today, Rahul said, "The biggest issue today is corruption. And it is bleeding our people dry. It is an unacceptable burden on the people of our nation. We must fight corruption with all our strength and determination. Recently, we have been able to ensure that convicted criminals are kept out of Parliament. I also got to learn a lesson. I learnt that it is not polite to ask that ordinances be torn and thrown into the dustbin."

Rahul said the government took a huge step by passing the Lokpal Bill, but also addressed the need for more such measure to combat corruption.

"I have said on numerous occasions, this is not about one bill. It is about providing this country an entire framework to fight corruption. The Congress party has developed a framework against corruption. I have appealed for the passage of six critical anti-corruption bills through parliament," he said.

"The amendment to the Prevention of Corruption Act will protect honest officers and be much more effective against those who are corrupt. The Grievance Redressal Bill will ensure that every citizen has the right to timely delivery of goods and services by their government. It includes a mechanism to redress their grievances in the event of any lapse," he added.

Giving credit to the UPA Government for the anti-corruption measure, Rahul said, "This government has done more than any other government to combat corruption. The Right to Information Act has been our most powerful weapon in the fight against corruption. The power of information is finally in the hands of the people. This has created a paradigm shift. Few governments have had the courage to enact legislation that rendered their processes more transparent and open to scrutiny.