Less than a week after BJP president Nitin Gadkari’s name surfaced in an alleged wrongdoing in his business, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi Tuesday accused his party of inaction against its corrupt leaders.
Without naming Gadkari, Gandhi, addressing an election rally here – her second in the state – said: “No other party has fought corruption as we have. The people against whom we had evidence we took action. I want to ask the BJP what action has it taken against its own leaders who are accused of graft?”
“No action has been taken,” she added.In her 12-minute speech, Gandhi said the Congress has brought the RTI (Right to Information Act) and was trying to get the Lokpal bill through parliament too.
“We have passed the Lokpal (bill) in the Lok Sabha. Who stalled it in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP? They are not against corruption, they are against the Congress.”
On inflation, the Congress leader said her party is concerned. “The UPA (United Progressive Alliance) is taking steps. But it’s the duty of the state governments to step in.”
“The Congress-ruled states have provided subsidy on three additional LPG cylinders (in a year). But I want to ask this (BJP) government why this not implemented in Himachal? Why VAT (on petroleum products) was not lowered?” she asked.
Batting for foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail sector, Gandhi said this step would benefit farmers.
“We have brought the FDI in retail. The farmers will be benefitted as their crop will not rot with the strengthening of cold chains. They will not get exploited and even the consumers will get products at cheaper rates.”
The opposition, she said, is creating rumours on FDI as no state would be forced to implement the measure.