Hyderabad, July 29: Accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of becoming a “shield” to the corrupt, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu demanded bringing the Prime Minister under the ambit of the proposed Lokpal Bill.
“The Prime Minister shouldn’t try to escape scrutiny. Bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal’s purview is only in relation to corruption charges and not to undermine the seat’s authority,” Chandrababu Naidu told a press conference at the TDP headquarters here on Friday.
“We have the highest respect for the office of Prime Minister, but why can’t the Prime Minister be probed while in office, if he faces allegations of corruption ?” the TDP chief asked.
The former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh recalled that Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao faced allegations of corruption when they held the office of Prime Minister. He also pointed out that a series of scandals have surfaced under Manmohan Singh.
“The Prime Minister himself pleaded helplessness in acting against the corrupt because of ‘compulsions of the coalition government’. This was only to protect his seat. Things have come to such a pass only because of the Prime Minister’s inaction,” Chandrababu added.
The draft Lokpal Bill, cleared by the Union Cabinet yesterday, was totally “teethless” and intended to befool the people, he pointed out, adding that it would further erode the dignity of political leaders in the country.
“Political leaders have already become ‘role models’ in making a fast buck. It is high time we cleansed the whole system and brought about political purity. The civil society and the spiritual leaders are taking a lead role only because the political system has failed to effectively contain corruption and black money,” Chandrababu observed.
He called upon all political parties to initiate the process for cleansing the systems in the country and rooting out corruption that has become a bigger threat than terrorism.
“Along with a strong Lokpal, we need laws to bring about political reforms and electoral reforms. Let us all (parties) sit together and discuss these things and build a corruption-free nation,” Chandrababu said and vowed to fight along with like-minded parties for a stronger Lokpal.
–Agencies