Allahbad, November 26: Coming down heavily on opposition parties attempting to corner the UPA government on the issue of corruption, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today said they should refrain from adopting double standards on the problem and act strongly like the Centre.
“I would like to tell all the opposition parties that they should refrain from following double standards on the issue of corruption and take effective measures as done by the Congress and the UPA government,” she said.
Gandhi was addressing a rally organised as part functions to celebrate her party’s 125th year of foundation.
The Congress leader said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally and the government as a whole has taken steps to maintain transparency in the system.
“Strong steps have been taken to make the system corruption free,” she said.
Gandhi said whenever serious complaints of corruption were received, stern action was taken. “Our effort is to ensure that corruption does not become a hurdle in the path of development. We are not like others and will not tolerate corruption,” she said.
Gandhi said the UPA government has always struggled for the rights of “aam adami” (common man).
“For their all round development, several programmes in the field of education, housing and employment generation has been launched and laws enacted,” she said.
“It is our heartiest wish that there is a positive change in the life of every citizen and a bright future for the young generation,” she said.
The Congress president said it was the responsibility of the party workers to ensure that these schemes and programmes were implemented in every village and city and real beneficiaries got the benefit.
“It is the responsibility of party workers to create awareness among people and maintain vigil on implementation. It should be ensured that middlemen do not create hurdle and there is no scope for corruption,” she said.
She said it was a challenging task and the government understood its responsibility.
The Congress president said the party has taken politics as a medium to serve the poor and weaker sections.
“This was the reason that thousands of crore of rupees were allocated to Uttar Pradesh without any bias. Our intention is uplift of the people so that they can march along with others,” she said.
However, she alleged that despite heavy allocation of funds there were complaints relating to basic amenities.
Asserting that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s integrity was unquestioned, Gandhi said those who have been crying hoarse over corruption have always been adopting double standards.
“The Congress has never tolerated corruption at any level. The UPA government is headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a man whose integrity remains unquestioned. On the other hand, those who have been crying hoarse over corruption have always been adopting double standards,” she said.
The Congress president said under the honest leadership of Singh the country was moving fast on the path of development and its face was changing.
Without naming anyone, Gandhi in her brief speech said, “Whenever the Congress has received any complaint regarding corruption, the party has not hesitated in taking the strongest possible action. On the other hand, those who have been attacking us on the issue of corruption, have never shown the courage to act when fingers are pointed at them.”
Her comments come against the backdrop of the change of guard in Maharashtra following Adarsh Housing Society scam in Mumbai and B S Yeddyurappa being asked to continue as the Chief Minister of BJP-ruled Karnataka despite his name figuring in an alleged land scam.
Gandhi asked party workers to sensitise the people on these issues. “The workers should struggle for the cause of the people and launch an agitation if required,” she said.
She said Congress was committed for a progressive and secular India and dedicated for the betterment of all sections of the society.
“From the last 125 years the party had been treading the path of truth. Though we know that it a tough path, Congress workers were and will always be ready to face problems,” she said.
Sonia said Allahabad, which gave direction to the country during freedom struggle, had a glorious past.
“From Swaraj Bhawan of Motilal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders decided to direction of the freedom movement. This place gave four prime ministers – Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, India Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi,” she said.
“This is the place of martyrs, which has showed the path to others in the field of art, literature and politics since ancient times,” she said.
–PTI