Hyderabad, January 31: Politics shorn of ethics is at the root of corruption, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan and added that only a return to ethical politics will see the end of corruption.
Taking part in a rally organized by ‘Youth for Better India’ on Necklace Road here as part of a nation-wide ‘India against Corruption’ campaign today, Dr. JP recalled that Mahatma Gandhi tried to build a nation on the foundation of ethical politics. In contrast, politicians today ask what have ethics to do with politics.
The campaign wants the Government to drop its proposed ‘toothless’ Lok Pall Bill and instead adopt a Bill that provides for the constitution of an independent and powerful Lok Pal, with powers to investigate cases of corruption on its own and punish the guilty.
Former Chief Election Commissioner J. M. Lyngdoh, Dr. K. S. Ratnakar of Global Hospitals, film producer S. Rajamouli and representatives of Bharat Swabhiman Trust and other organizations were among the rally participants. The leaders tore copies of the Government proposed Lok Pall Bill to register their protest.
Dr. JP said that Indians were no more corrupt than people in other countries, and they are second to none in the world in their honesty. Those who loot the nation in the name of 2G spectrum licenses, mining leases and contracts are the corrupt. Common people are victims of corruption and not corrupt when they, as a last resort, offer bribes to get what is legitimately due to them. “Let corruption victims unite and fight against corruption without losing time,” he said and added that the youth who constitute 73 percent of people and command 94 percent of future should take the lead in the interest of their future.
NSS