Government Lacks Political Will to Combat Corruption: Advani


New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS): Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Sunday blamed the government's "utter lack of political will" to check corruption for the around Rs.70 lakh crores ($1.4 trillion) of Indian wealth lying stashed in foreign banks still not being returned.

The senior parliamentarian, in his blog, also favoured India ratifying the UN convention against corruption.

Quoting the Swiss Bankers Association, Advani said Indians have "topped the list of black money depositors at the famous Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS)".

Advani said the BJP's four-member task force of enonomic and security experts in a recent publication estimated that Indian wealth stashed in tax havens overseas "vary from $500 billion (Rs. 25 lakh crores) to $1.4 trillion (Rs.70 lakh crores)".

"The publication adds: The maths of the loot may be disputed, but the fact of the loot cannot be," he said.

He reminded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of his poll promise "to take action with regard to Indian wealth in foreign banks in the first 100 days of his tenure".

"More than 500 days have elapsed, and yet there has been no movement in this regard. The reason is utter lack of political will," Advani said.

He also wondered at the UN Convention against corruption not being ratified.

"Parliament has remained dysfunctional for two weeks, but the government refuses to accept the unanimous demand of the entire opposition that a JPC probe be ordered into the stinking scandals that have recently been exposed," he said.

The BJP has been stalling parliament's winter session since Nov 10 demanding a joint parliamentary committee to probe the 2G spectrum allocation scam that is reported to have cost the nation a huge financial loss.

  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Janette D'souza, Mangalore/Abu Dhabi

    Sun, Nov 28 2010

    Is the pot calling the kettle black?

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • RR, Mangalore

    Sun, Nov 28 2010

    Advaniji,you have lost moral right to talk on corruption issues,after your(chor committe) party's high command left Yediyurappa scot free.There are corrupts in your circles and better tackle these elements first.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • A.S.Mathew, U.S.A.

    Sun, Nov 28 2010

    The former iron man Divan of
    Travanncore Sri. C. P. Ramaswamy
    Iyer said " justification is an
    open apology".

    Sri. Advanji may be riding the
    same boat by making such a
    statement, because he had no
    strength by himself to face the C.M. of Karnataka. But, he told
    an open truth.

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Ronald D, Udupi

    Sun, Nov 28 2010

    Advaniji and Yediyurappaji, What kind of corruption you are talking about? Do you have any right? General [public has right! You do not deserve any!!!

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: Government Lacks Political Will to Combat Corruption: Advani



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.