Jan. 8: The Bharatiya Janata Party president, Mr Nitin Gadkari, here on Saturday slammed the UPA government on charges of rampant corruption while asking partymen to work unitedly to capture power in 2014. Launching a blistering attack on the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in reference to the 2G and CWG scams, the BJP president said, “While looters were emptying the government coffers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was standing guard with his eyes closed and perhaps, hands tied.”
He further said, “The Congress under the UPA-2 presides over an empire of corruption with corruption constituting about three per cent of the GDP.” Pledging to strengthen the party, Mr Gadkari said, “The victory of Bihar has stirred and inspired the workers around the country and there is a wide-held belief now that in 2014, the NDA under the leadership of the BJP would form the government.”
In his inaugural speech at the national executive of the party, Mr Gadkari targeted the Congress on the issue of corruption, price rise and terrorism while asking, “Why is the Congress trying to run away from a JPC probe into the 2G scam? There is definitely something to hide.”
The Northeast figured prominently in the speech with mention being made that it is a commonwealth of corruption in the Northeast with Congress leaders of the region trying to compete with their counterparts in New Delhi. Advocating Schedule Tribe status to six communities of Assam, he demanded that the six communities — Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai-Ahom, Tea Tribes and Sutiya — should be given ST status.
“I take this opportunity to reiterate our demand for granting ST status to all of them,” said Mr Gadkari.