BJP leader L.K. Advani on Saturday said he does not agree with Team Anna’s view on the issue of right to recall. The veteran BJP leader also lashed out against the UPA government for being “non-serious” on the issues of black money, corruption and inflation.
Mr Advani, who is conducting a nationwide “Janchetana Yatra”, addressed the media during an event in Borivali where he said that the idea of “right to recall” would not work in a country as big as India, on the contrary, it would destabilise the country. “I am inclined to agree with Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi that in a country as vast as ours, it may have consequences which may destabilise the whole structure,” he said. Interestingly, the United States of America is one of the countries that regularly exercise the right to recall. Team Anna has been vigorously campaigning in favour of right to recall, but even the Election Commission of India has shown its opposition to the idea. Instead, the senior leader favoured electoral reforms that could help stop the use of black money in elections. He said that the BJP had been at the forefront in seeking electoral reforms.
“We are keen to see that electoral reforms are expedited and brought in at the earliest. There is no doubt that electoral reforms, if effectively implemented, can deal with the role that money power plays in elections, and will subsequently curb corruption. I also believe that the issues of black money and elections are interlinked. If you want to deal with corruption in the country, the issue of electoral reforms must be addressed,” he said.
Asking the government to disclose the names of the three members of Parliament, whose names allegedly figure in the list of 700 Indians who have stashed funds in Swiss bank accounts, Mr Advani said, “This is a very serious issue. If this is true, then obviously the issue of black money comes close to the political system. It cannot be dealt only as a tax evasion case.”
Demanding that full facts in this connection be made public, he said, “I, as an MP, have the right to know who they are and what action has been taken against them.”
On the question of whether the BJP will move a no-confidence motion against the UPA government for its failure to curb inflation and corruption, Mr Advani said that the decision would be taken by the party at the appropriate time. He also indicated that the BJP would not move a no-confidence motion if it is not confident of winning it.
“The party will decide on whether to bring a no-confidence motion or not. It is always a well thought out plan, particularly when the government knows it is bound to be defeated,” he said.