Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 20 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s appeal for national consensus on the Lokpal bill as “hollow” and termed the huge support for Hazare’s agitation against corruption “a vote of no confidence” in the government.

Party spokesman Prakash Javadekar alleged that the prime minister had made such appeals in the past on issues such as Telangana and women’s reservation bill but had not shown commitment to translate them into action.

“An appeal without commitment is nothing but another act of deception… The same appeal was made on the issue of Telangana but the so-called consensus still remains illusive. Even on the issue of reservation for women in parliament and assemblies, similar appeals had been made as a diversionary tactics,” he said.

Accusing the government of being neck-deep in scandals, Javadekar said the whole country was exercised over the issue of corruption. “What we are witnessing on the streets of the country is nothing but a no-confidence motion moved against the government by the people,” he said.

Javadekar alleged that despite the concerns of people on corruption, the government was shielding the corrupt.

“Even after a clear report by Shunglu committee and the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) indicting Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, the Congress and the government supported her instead of asking for her resignation,” he said.

Javadekar said the BJP had approached the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with a demand to investigate the role of union minister P. Chidambaram in 2G spectrum scam but the party has not heard anything from the investigating agency.

“There is no action against (former textile minister) Dayanidhi Maran in Aircel-Maxis scam. The government has practically let him off after his resignation. The Air India scam is now bleeding the national exchequer. But there is no effort to put accountability in place,” he said, adding that the government would not have moved on cash-for-vote scam without orders from the court.

“The delayed ratification of UN convention against corruption with prospective clause is also a proof of its intention to shield the corrupt and those who have looted national wealth in the over half a century,” he said.

The BJP leader said the prime minister owes answers to questions on issues related to corruption. “He must act on all these and other scandals. Then only his appeal for consensus will have some meaning. Till then there are just words without any commitment,” he said.

The prime minister had Saturday called for a broad national consensus on the Lokpal bil and expressed hope that the government can enlist cooperation of all thinking segments of public opinion to ensure an effective legislation.