Scandals provide an opportunity to Fight against corruption: Dr. JP

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s offer to appear before the Public Accounts Committee on the 2 G spectrum scandal, and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi’s call at the Congress plenary for competitive bidding for allocation of natural resources are welcome developments, said Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

Addressing representatives of student organizations who have come forward to fight against corruption under the leadership of Youth for Better India, Dr. JP said students and youth should view the scandals over 2 G spectrum allocation and Commonwealth Games and allegations against Supreme Court judges as an opportunity to fight against corruption. The Lok Satta Party campaign against the 2 G spectrum scandal has yielded good results.

Dr. JP underlined that corruption reared its ugly head not because Indians are more corrupt but because of institutional loopholes. If the Government puts in place mechanisms to ensure that the corrupt will lose much more than what they have earned through illicit means, corruption will come under control.

Dr. JP called upon the youth to focus on issues plaguing people in general and not get sucked into sectarian movements revolving round caste, religion etc. As responsible citizens, they should concern themselves with politics, whether they joined any political party or not.

The student organizations pledged themselves to fight for an amendment of the Prevention of Corruption Act as suggested by the Lok Satta Party, and constitution of an anti corruption commission at the national level and special courts to try the corrupt.