Thaindian News

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) A day after the BJP admitted tainted former Uttar Pradesh minister Babu Singh Kushwaha into the party, the Congress Wednesday sharpened its attack on the opposition party, saying its commitment to fight corruption stood “exposed”.

Kushwaha’s house was among the 60 places the CBI raided Wednesday morning in connection with a multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said while BJP leader L.K. Advani took out a rath yatra against corruption, his party was providing membership to Kushwaha, an expelled Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member and former minister who is an accused in the NHRM scam.

“Advani is taking out an anti-graft rath yatra and his party leaders are meeting President Pratibha Patil on Lokpal bill…at the same time, his party is inducting such corrupt people into the party. This shows how much commitment the party has in fighting corruption in the country,” Alvi said.

Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Jitin Prasada too slammed the BJP.

“In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP stands exposed. Despite Advani’s rath yatra against corruption, it is willing now to offer bouquets and hug anybody for the sake of votes. It now stands exposed on its claim as the most honest political party in the country,” Prasada said.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh also hit out both at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati and the BJP.

“Mayawati-ji should immediately register a complaint under the Prevention of Corruption Act and take action against the ministers who have been charged with corruption. The BSP government has not framed any charges against any corrupt minister as yet,” he told reporters here.

“Mayawati-ji filled her own pockets and did nothing else. And when these ministers were unable to fulfill her demands, they are being accused of corruption. Mayawati-ji is treating her ministers just like lemons, which are thrown after squeezing out the juice,” he said.

Reacting to BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s comment that the raids were “suspect” because they came a day after Kushwaha joined the BJP, Singh said: “I am surprised Mr. Naqvi has said such a thing. Perhaps he’s ashamed.”

“They are ashamed because they’ve included such a person in the BJP who’s being investigated by CBI, under court’s orders, for a Rs.5,000 crore scam in NRHM,” he told reporters.

He also denied that the Congress has ever partnered with the BSP.

Singh also wanted to know what Team Anna had to say about the BJP’s move to induct tainted BSP men.

“I would like to know the great custodians of honesty - Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan - comments on this act of BJP of inducting a person who has been charge sheeted by CBI under the directions of the court,” he said.