Sonia takes on Oppn,tells party give up privileges

The issue of corruption dominated the proceedings as the ruling party sought to take the battle to the Opposition’s doorstep,challenging the BJP to take action against Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and asking senior leader Sushma Swaraj to come clean on her relationship with the Reddy brothers from Bellary (mining overlords G Karunakar and Janardan Reddy).

Re-iterating how the Congress took actions against ministers and a chief minister even when no charges were established,Sonia asked: “How many other parties can make such a claim? Can the BJP do so in regard to Karnataka,where corruption is rampant,or other states?”

“In this context,I want to say something about our Prime Minister. He is the embodiment of sobriety,dignity and integrity. The BJP’s personal attack on him is downright despicable… The party stands solidly with him,” Sonia told about 15,000 AICC and PCC delegates gathered for the plenary session.

She also said that it was time to think how best to take the proposal for state funding of elections forward.

Making a brief mention of this issue in his speech later,AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi said that those involved in corruption should get “stern punishment”.

“First,there is merit in instituting a new system of fast-tracking all cases that concern corruption by public servants,including politicians,including all of us. Such cases drag on interminably and undermine public confidence and trust. Why can’t we put in place systems that bring corruption cases to closure in a defined timeframe?” said the Congress president.

“We have ample evidence now before us that all discretionary powers,particularly in land allocation,breed corruption. I would like all Congress chief ministers and ministers at both the Centre and states to set an example by reviewing and relinquishing such powers,” she said,adding that Congressmen holding office must not allow any doubt about their probity and integrity.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee gave a detailed explanation to party delegates as to why the UPA government did not concede the Opposition’s demand for a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum scam. He said that even the JPC had no investigating powers and would serve no purpose.

Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh alleged that the spectrum scam had its birth during the “Pramod Mahajan days” when the revenue sharing model was introduced. “The Opposition’s objective was to delay the investigation through JPC,” said Singh.

Referring to resignations by the party’s ministers,the Congress’s political resolution said that maintaining credibility with the people has remained an article of faith for it. “By contrast,the BJP and its new-found allies have done exactly the opposite… after the shameful findings of the Kargil scam and taped revelations of murky defence purchases… the BJP refused to act and in fact rehabilitated the then defence minister before even the completion of the inquiry,” said the resolution. It also attacked the CPM and other parties for actively indulging in corruption in the states under their rule.

At the end of the first day of the session,a 93-year-old freedom fighter from Uttar Pradesh,Ram Vilas Pandey,who was allowed to come to the dais and speak,said: “Let the government go,but punish those guilty,be it A Raja or M Karunanidhi.”

Pandey said that the Prime Minister and Congress President have a clean image and,therefore,it was necessary for them to fight against corruption. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shook hands with him after he ended his speech.