Congress strongly opposed to corruption: Rahul Gandhi

Sending a clear signal to partymen, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi today said those who indulged in corruption would face an end to their political career.

"Before allotting tickets I met party candidates and told them in straight terms that if at any level I come to know about involvement in corrupt practices of any partymen his career will end immediately," Rahul said at an election rally in this hinterland of Malwa region of the state.

Taking a dig at Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP alliance in Punjab, he said that, "they (the ruling combine in Punjab) only make speeches but do nothing on the ground and fight polls for personal benefits".

He said that the Congress was committed to eradicate poverty from the country.

He lambasted SAD-BJP alliance for talking about converting Punjab into California and at the same time asked BJP leader LK Advani that why did he become ignorant about corruption in BJP ruled states of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Punjab.

Reiterating his party's stand for a strong Lokpal, he said that, "we want to make Lokpal a constitutional body which remains out of all kind of pressures".

"It was BJP led NDA which brought impediments in the path for a strong Lokpal...Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi and the Congress brought a bill of Lokpal in the parliament, but the BJP and its allies pushed red botton to put brakes on bringing a strong Lokpal," he said.

Rahul said, the BJP-led NDA was happy over stopping Lokpal bill and claimed that the bill by PM, Sonia was their dream.

"It (Lokpal) was not our dream, but the dream of youth of the country".

Noting that only the Congress wages a battle against corruption, he said, "our ministers found indulging in corruption were put behind bar in jails".

He told the gathering that only Congress had helped in the development and progress of Punjab.

The Congress brought IIT at Ropar, Indian Institute of Science and Research at Mohali, central university at Bhatinda, gave Rs3,400 crore for education, set up international airport at Amritsar and brought Rs18,000 crore oil refinery at Bathinda, he said.

He said that the UPA's proposal of Foreign direct Investment (FDI) in retail will immensely benefit the farmers as they will get good rates for their crops.

"The SAD-BJP had opposed FDI, but they are in reality not opposed to it and they are doing so because we the Congress wanted to bring FDI in retail sector," he said.

"SAD does not work for development, but only makes speeches...the Akalis did nothing to overcome the problem of water-logging in several areas of Punjab," he said.

Meanwhile, at another election rally at Mansa, Rahul said the Congress wants to ensure that children of farmers and other sections of society should be in the forefront in the development of Punjab.

He said that the present situation in villages of Punjab is pitiable and added that Punjab should get a government which strives for the benefit of farmers, labourers and poor.

"My mother (Sonia Gandhi) is from Italy and in her fields its the people from Punjab who are contributing a lot," he said.

"Here in Punjab they make promises but prefer to travel in big vehicles...commit atrocities on farmers and future of youths are destroyed," he said.

"Punjab has no government...the Centre had helped Punjab a lot and no other party at the Centre did so," he said.

However, he rued that the Centre's money for development does not reach the proper place in Punjab and even not properly utilised.