United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi's assertion that the Centre is determined to fight against corruption is “as ridiculous and incredible as are Pakistan's claims to fight against terrorism,” BJP national president Nitin Gadkari said here on Wednesday.
Mr. Gadkari also indicated his party's full support for the anti-graft movement spearheaded by civil rights activists and advocated that the Prime Minister be brought within the purview of the Lokpal Bill.
Criticising the midnight police crackdown on innocent people at Baba Ramdev's fasting venue on the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on May 28, he accused Ms. Gandhi of ordering the attack.
“Baba Ramdev was beaten up, women were molested and children were trampled upon by the police. I want to ask the Prime Minister and Ms. Gandhi whether it is unlawful on the part of unarmed persons to protest against rampant corruption and demand the recovery of black money,” Mr. Gadkari said at a meeting of the party's block-level representatives in West Bengal.
Warning the Congress president against what he called attempts to bring back the “dark days” of Emergency, Mr. Gadkari said: “Should we sit quietly and not protest against it? The BJP will not tolerate such anti-democratic behaviour of the government and will not hesitate to overthrow it, if necessary…If stoned, we will reply with brickbats.”
Highlighting the multicrore 2G spectrum allocation and Commonwealth Games scams, in which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had allegedly signed every file for large funds transaction, Mr. Gadkari wondered why he should not also be held accountable. Mr. Gadkari asked West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to break her silence on corruption and black money issues as her party is a UPA ally.
