In the last National Executive Meeting at Lucknow, the BJP in its resolution had stated that Dr. Manmohan Singh presides over the most corrupt Union Government since independence. Each passing day only confirms this impression. Corruption is not because of compulsion of coalition politics as Dr. Manmohan Singh frequently states; rather the UPA Government itself is a coalition of the corrupt. Committing corruption and shielding the wrong door with impunity is the hallmark of its governance. Though, off late different standards are being followed in case of those of the allies who are accused of corruption and those who belong to the Congress Party.
In spite of damning revelations Dr. Manmohan Singh repeatedly asserts that the present Home Minister Shri P Chidambaram continues to enjoy his full confidence. The Office Memorandum of the Finance Ministry of March 25, 2011, which was in fact approved by the present Finance Minister Shri Pranab Mukharjee raises serious questions about the role of Shri Chidambaram as Finance Minister when the whole 2G scam happened, which remains the worst case of corruption since independence. Now, Shri Mukharjee has confirmed that this memorandum was a collective effort of the Finance Ministry, the Prime Minister Office and the Cabinet Secretariat besides the Telecom Ministry.
The case against Shri Chidambaram is simple and straight forward. Confronted with the repeated stand of very senior officers of the then Finance Ministry as to how the rate determined in 2001 could be applied in 2007 without any proper current valuation, he as the Finance Minister send a note on 15/01/2008 to the Prime Minister inter-alia stating that “Spectrum is scarce resource and the most transparent method of allotting Spectrum would be through auction.” Not with standing this opinion for allotments already made the Minister observed “in such cases the past may be treated as a closed chapter”. The Prime Minister in his statement in the Rajya Sabha on 24/02/2011 also confirmed that though the Finance Minister had a different view when he sent his note on 15/01/2008 but subsequently in consultation with the Minister of Telecommunication the two worked out an agreed stand on the spectrum charges, which was reported to him on July 04, 2008. The latest Finance Ministry note dated 25/03/2011 which was prepared from the inputs of the PMO as well clearly mentions that the loss of revenue has occurred because “thus the Ministry of Finance implicitly agreed to the imposition of the same entry fee as prevailing in 2001 for licences allotted up to 31 Dec. 2008”. The country is entitled to know as to why Shri Chidambaram and his Ministry changed its position. Admittedly the changed position caused loss to the public exchequer and a substantial pecuniary advantage to certain private entities. In terms of the Union Cabinet decision of 2003 spectrum prices were to be determined by the Telecom Ministry in consultation with the Finance Ministry in a fair and transparent manner. Shri Chidambaram as Finance Minister failed to safeguard public interest and public revenue and colluded with Shri A Raja the then Telecom Minister in this case of massive corruption. If Shri A Raja is being prosecuted for causing wrongful loss of public revenue and of causing gain to certain private entities how can Shri P Chidambaram continue to enjoy the confidence of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh when the same charge is clearly maintainable against him. Did the Prime Minister do his home work well about the role of Shri Chidambaram or there is compulsion for him to express confidence in his favour lest “the embers of 2G fire may not reach the PMO”.
We need to remember that the entire decision to exclude spectrum pricing from the Term of Reference of GoM was taken unilaterally by Dr. Manmohan Singh without any Cabinet approval in the year 2006 at the instance of the then Telecom Minister Mr. Dayanidhi Maran. This led to the beginning of the spectrum scam. The Government on the other hand earned huge revenue of nearly Rs 67,000 crores against the target of Rs 35, 000 crores when the 3G spectrum was allocated in the year 2010 through transparent auction mechanism. The point to note is that Shri A Raja is in jail and Shri Dayanidhi Maran is to follow there very soon. What about the culpability of the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh who bye passed the cabinet and excluded spectrum pricing from the GoM jurisdiction which facilitated the massive 2G scam
Emboldened by the brazen support of the Prime Minister the CBI is refusing to investigate the role of Shri P Chidambaram in spite of mounting evidence against him. On the contrary it has questioned Ministers during the NDA regime Shri Jaswant Singh and Shri Arun Shourie both of whose reputation for impeccable integrity is too well known. They are being questioned for transactions which were transparent, in public domain and greatly benefited the Telecom sector. The credibility of CBI is again suspect. Now Shri Pranab Mukharjee has issued a curious statement on 29 Sep. 11 that the note of 25 March 2011 does not represent his view. He himself acknowledged that this office memorandum authoritatively prepared in consultation with many departments including the PMO had seen by him. This note raises serious questions about the role and complicity of Shri Chidambaram in not safeguarding public revenue by over-ruling the firm and consistent stand of his officers for a transparent mechanism for spectrum pricing. We also saw the theatrical comment of Shri Chidambaram in the presence of Shri Mukharjee that he accepts his explanation. It is not an internal matter of the Congress Party that efforts are being made for two senior Ministers to arrive at a patchwork solution with the intervention of the Party Chief and then to suggest that the crisis is over. It deals with the public exchequer and public revenue and loss caused to the country. Shri Chidambaram has no moral authority or jurisdiction to comment about the acceptance of the explanation of Shri Pranab Mukharjee. He is himself under serious cloud who contributed in the substantial loss of public revenue.
The BJP demands that Shri Chidambaram be removed from the Union Cabinet and he should also be prosecuted like Shri A Raja in the 2G corruption case.
Prime Minister Trying to divert from the main issue
When the BJP exposed the series of scams and acts of corruption of this Government suddenly we found the Prime Minister accusing the opposition of trying to destabilize the Government and force a mid-term poll. This is a comment of desperation by the Prime Minister designed to divert from the main issue. Neither the 2G nor the Commonwealth Games or many other scams of the UPA are attributable to the BJP or, the Opposition. The beneficiaries of the cash for Vote are in the Government. There is a civil and uncivil war between the Ministers. The Government is in destructive mode. It does not need the opposition to destabilize it.
Weakening of Institutions
Deeply enmeshed in corruption the Government is out to weaken various institutions and also compromise their integrity. Decisions taken and approved by the Cabinet are unilaterally changed by the Prime Minister. A proper authoritative note in the shape of a Government Memorandum prepared after elaborate inter Ministerial consultation including the PMO and approved by the Finance Minister is suddenly disowned because it points to the culpability of Shri Chidambaram. Institutions like CAG and CVC has rarely been subjected to such vicious attacks by the Ministers of the ruling party as has been done recently. The prestige of CVC could be restored only with the intervention of Supreme Court. Telengana Manipur are in deep turmoil but the Union Government appears to have almost abdicated its responsibility. The CBI is being abused to save Congress Ministers like Mr. Chidambaram and for other political considerations.
Whistle blowers targeted in the cash for Vote Scam
The manner in which the Delhi Police has sought to prosecute the whistle blower like the former BJP MPs Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, Shri Mahavir Bhagora and Shri Sudhindra Kulkarni in the cash for vote scam is atrocious. It is too well known that Dr. Manmohan Singh Government survived the confidence vote during UPA I through corrupt and dubious means. About 19 MPs were induced to do cross voting in favour of the Government. The whistle blowers were exposing this most shameful saga of Indian democracy. For three years the Delhi Police did not undertake any investigation. In spite of repeated reprimand of the Supreme Court it did not investigate as to who were beneficiary of this scam. Shri Amar Singh was not a Minister in UPA I nor, was his then Samajwadi Party a part of Government. On whose behalf Shri Amar Singh was active in luring MPs to vote in favour of the UPA- I is the most important obvious question. Instead of investigating into the role of the leaders of the Congress Party and the Government who benefited directly from this scam the Police is harassing innocent whistle blowers. The BJP strongly stands with them and would further expose the sheer duplicity of the Congress led UPA Government in the entire country.
Congress not serious in the fight against corruption
When the UPA II completed it second year in office both the UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh declared their resolve to take strong action against the menace of corruption. Nothing could be more ironical and hollow. But for a very assertive campaign notably by the BJP, a vigilant media and because of monitoring by the Supreme Court no action would have been taken in any of the scams. On the contrary the Government abuses its authority to cover up the misdeeds of those who commit the worst sins of corruption. Former Telecom Minister Shri A Raja was given the certificate of innocence twice by the Prime Minister as is Shri Chidambaram who has his full confidence.
On the contrary the Government has sought to victimise those who have sought to expose the repeated acts of omission, commission, corruption and misdeeds of the UPA Government and sought accountability. The way Shri Anna Hazare was intially arrested and put in the Tihar Jail where all the other scam accused are lodged and subsequently released because of national outcry only confirms this. The brutal Police lathi-charge over the peaceful supporters of Baba Ramdeo in the midnight in the Ramlila Maidan which subsequently led to the death of one of his supporter Rajbala Verma only shows the extent to which this Government can go in crushing the voice of those who demand accountability. The BJP has always supported their cause because they were articulating the deep sense of disgust and distress which the people of India felt over the massive corruption of the UPA Government. The wrong doing of many other Ministers severely indicted for massive irregularity by the CAG including the role of Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Shiela Dixit in the Commonwealth Games, is being defended in the most shameful manner. The Shunglu committee earlier has pointed to serious wrong doings of the Govt of Shiela Dikshit in the arrangement of CWG games. The workers of the BJYM were mercilessly beaten by the Delhi police under the order of the Govt when they were protesting against the rampant corruption of the UPA.
The BJP is in favour of an effective Lokpal which covers the office of Prime Minister as well. The country recently has seen a grate movement in support of this cause all over the country. Whether the UPA Government will indeed bring about a proper and powerful Lokpal Bill still remains in doubt in view of its past record.
Shri L K Advani, former Deputy Prime Minister and the Leader of the BJP Parliamentary Party, right from 2009 has been demanding consistently that earnest and effective steps be taken for recovery of black money of Indian nationals deposited in foreign banks which are profits of crime and corruption. The BJP has made this issue almost a national movement and there is a great sense of outrage in the country. Even smaller countries of the world are taking effective steps in this regards. We repeatedly hear Constitution of multi disciplinary committees five prong strategy against black money. These are just hollow declarations and the Government lacks the political will to execute an effective and well meaning time bound programme to unearth black money and share with the people of the country the details of account holders abroad who continue to enjoy the profit of their crime. The Government knows that revealing the names of account holders will only cause embarrassment to it.
Terrorism continues unabated
Terrorists continue to strike at will causing the death of many innocent Indians. Right in the heart of the capital terrorist struck with impunity before the Delhi High Court recently in which dozens of innocent people were killed. Before that the Jhaweri Bazar in Mumbai was also the target of terrorist attack leading to massacre of many. There has been no worth while progress into the investigation of any of the terrorist attacks in the last two years. The terrorists ably supported by their patrons from across the border continue to commit terrorist acts in Delhi which is the Political Capital of India, Mumbai, the Financial Capital of India, even Varanasi, the spiritual capital of India and Bangalore, the knowledge capital of India. It is indeed a tragedy that Afzal Guru till date has not been given the capital punishment inspite of so many years of SC judgement In place of taking effective measures to contain it with resolute political will, the Government is giving the impression that is has almost given up. Now it is being advised by the eminent members of the National Advisory Council headed by Smt. Sonia Gandhi, to consider an ill conceived, ill advised and divisive Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill 2011. This Bill is rank discriminatory and has very dangerous implications for the unity, integrity and security of India. It proceeds on a dangerous presumption that only a majority community can commit communal violence and they can never be the victim of the same. It also seeks very unfortunately to subject even the justice delivery system on purely communal considerations because the underlying premise is that a minority group can get justice only if the National Authority for Communal Harmony and Justice (the body proposed in the Bill) has a majority of members belonging to the minority community. The Bill gives sweeping power to the Union Government to unsettle any democratically elected State Government. The BJP strongly opposes this Bill.
New BPL category an insult to poor
The Planning Commission, headed by the Prime Minister, in an affidavit formally filed before the Supreme Court has stated that in order to qualify for below the poverty line (BPL) category daily earning of Rs. 32 in the urban area and Rs. 25 in the rural area should be the benchmark. In view of all round inflation and difficulty being created by the UPA even in the availability of the very basic necessities for daily existence, this benchmark amounts to rubbing salt into the wound of aam adami. The BJP firmly rejects this patently anti people move and demands its recall and a fair revision of the same. The BJP demands that a proper pro-poor mechanism must be developed to identify and prepare a genuine list of people below the poverty line. There are many reports in this connection, which are also contradictory as far as the BPL category is concerned. The insistence by the Govt. to cap the number of BPL category in the different States is not fair because it will tend to conceal the real number of poor people.
The suffering of farmers continues
The Congress led UPA Govt. is completely indifferent to the plight of farmers. The scarcity of fertilizers as also its distributions is in a very sorry state of affairs. The centre discriminates in the allocation of fertilizers to non-UPA State Govts. Even reduced quota is not supplied causing misery to the farmers at the high of sowing seasons. Agriculture activity is now becoming costly because of inputs becoming costly itself. There is the need to develop a proper transparent mechanism to give good remunerative prices to the farmers.
Targeting non-UPA State Governments continues unabated
The UPA record of selectively targeting non-Congress non-UPA State Governments continues unabated. If it is the BJP State Government then it is subjected to all the more vicious attacks. Raj Bhawans in many of the BJP ruled States are increasingly becoming Congress Bhawans where a pliant Governor is violating all Constitutional propriety in destabilising democratically elected Government in the effort to bring Congress into power from the back door. The federal principal is being violated with impunity. The latest example concerns the appointment of the Lokayukta in Gujarat where the Governor acting in concert with the Congress leaders in the State completely bye passed a democratically elected BJP State Government and without any consultation appointed the Lokayukta. The BJP strongly condemns this patent unconstitutional trend and demands the recall of Gujarat State Governor. In the State of Bihar the governor continues to appoint with impunity Vice Chancellors to different Universities without the consultation with the State Govts inspite of legal obligations. He is doing so even when courts have struck down such appointments. On the one hand the Congress led Govt. protects corrupt leaders and the other hand the special courts of Madhya Pradesh Govt. to fast track the cases of corrupt employees is being kept pending by the central Govt.
The Jan Chetana Yatra of Shri L K Advani
The UPA rule has left a legacy of an insecure and suffering India. Common people are the worst hit. Inflation couple with soaring prices of the most basic food products and a general slow down has made their life miserable, continued terrorists attacks makes them insecure. All round rampant corruption patronised and protected by the UPA Government has deeply angered them. There is deep sense of distress and dismay and cynicism in the country over the repeated loot of massive amount of public money at the instance of those in the Union Government who were duty bound to protect it. Good Governance has become a casualty under the UPA. It has no political will to contain corruption. Many Congress leaders at senior level are deeply involved in promoting and patronising corruption without any fear of remedial action against them. In such a scenario of gloom Shri L K Advani has decided to undertake a Jan Chetana Yatra around the country to awaken the people of the country against the cancer of corruption and the quest for good governance. Shri L K Advani, one of the tallest national leaders, epitomises a long career of selfless service for the country whose personal integrity is indeed impeccable. The BJP National Executive calls upon all the party members around the country as also the people at large to make this Yatra a great success. The party exhorts the people of the country to join in this yatra in large number where ever it goes and convey their profound disapproval over the manner in which the Cong led UPA Govt has sought to shame India by it monumental corruption and bad governance. The BJP is confident that the people of the country who are mature and have the good of the country in their hearts would surely rise to the occasion and create conditions to awaken India once again for clean politics and good governance.
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