NDA to launch nationwide protests against corruption

NEW DELHI - The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Tuesday announced a nationwide campaign from Dec 22 to intensify its fight against corruption” in the ruling alliance and press for a parliamentary probe into the spectrum scandal.

The 2G spectrum is a multi-dimensional scam and not just governmental corruption, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani, who is also working chairman of the opposition alliance, told reporters.

Seated by his side were Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav, Shiv Sena MP Anant Gite and Akali Dal leader Naresh Gujaral besides opposition leaders in parliament Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj.

The opposition agitation will be launched with a rally here Dec 22, Advani said, adding that it will then move to Mumbai Jan 16.

Similar rallies will be held in Patna, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Rohtak, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Bhopal, Hyderabad and Chennai.

Reacting to the Congress charge that the opposition was responsible for disruption of parliament over its demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the spectrum row, Advani accused the Congress of misleading the public.

Justifying the NDA’s disruption of parliament’s winter session, he said the loss to the public exchequer to the tune of Rs.1.67 lakh crore in the allocation of 2G spectrum was the biggest scandal in independent India and the government owed an explanation to the people.

If we had not led the protest and adopted a tough posture, then (Telecommunication Minister A.) Raja , (Maharashtra Chief Minister) Ashok Chavan and Suresh Kalmadi would not have been removed (over corruption charges), he said.

Advani also took on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who Tuesday said the government will seek to stop leakage of tapped telephonic conversations.

The 2G scam is a serious issue. Why is the prime minister worried only about that? Are these matters the prime minister should be worried about?

He said not a single reason had been put forward by Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for not accepting the opposition’s demand for a JPC.

Who all benefited from the scam should be known to the public, he said.

The BJP leader also claimed that the Congress was isolated in and outside parliament and even from its allies on the issue.

Sharad Yadav later told reporters that the NDA was in talks with other parties to hold rallies jointly in states. The parties included the Biju Janata Dal and Telugu Desam Party, both of which were once NDA allies.