Congress leaders' roles in scams should be probed: LK Advani

Accusing the government of selectively targeting people allegedly involved in various scams, BJP leader LK Advani today said it was "scrupulously" protecting itself from any probe.

The BJP leader, who is on the second leg of his yatra against corruption, said the alleged role of some Congress leaders and their contribution to the scams should be probed.

"While so many ministers belonging to allies have been punished, the ruling party has very carefully and scrupulously protected itself. There are demands that the role of some members, senior leaders of Congress party (and) their contribution to these scams should be probed. These demands have not been accepted so far", he told reporters.

He said the last two years have been "very depressing because of the surfacing of numerous scams involving for the first time in the history of Independent India, several members of central government who have not only to be removed from office because of those scams, but also to be lodged in Tihar prison of Delhi".

"One cannot say who else is going to join company with them (in jail)..".

Referring to the cash-for-votes scam, Advani said the episode has "sullied" Indian democracy and added that instead of bribe givers, the "whistle-blowers" were punished.

On Congress leader Digvijay Singh's remarks that the anti-corruption stir by Anna Hazare was an over-all plan of RSS-BJP, Advani said he was surprised that a senior leader like Singh has made such comments repeatedly and his own party has disassociated from it.

To a question on the corruption charges against BJP leaders in Karnataka, he said there was "no soft corner" in the party for any kind of corruption.

"Every one knows that so far as the BJP is concerned, the moment there was a report from Lok Ayukta, he (Yeddyurappa) was asked to leave. There is no soft corner in the BJP, for any kind of corruption", he said.

On the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, he said, "There has to be caution. The first and foremost consideration has to be safety and security of people".

"The entire world including countries which have had nuclear plants for development of energy for a long time have decided for a second view on all those plants, particularly if they are close to the ocean. So, there is no reason, why India should not adopt a same approach," he said.

On demands for clemency to the three Rajiv Gandhi assassins, Advani said court decisions should not be meddled with on political grounds. "Whether it is Rajiv Gandhi killers or the attackers of Indian Parliament, whatever decision has been taken by the Court should not be meddled on political grounds", he said.

Launching a blistering attack on the UPA government for its handling of terrorism issues and with reference to the withdrawal of controversial Armed Forces Special powers Act (AFSPA) from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir, Advani said the approach to terrorism should be consistent.

Noting that his yatra received "over-whelming" response, Advani said it was not related to elections nor related to LK Advani or BJP.

"It is essentially, the mood of the country, that we would like to change with this yatra."he said adding that the yatra was intended to remove the sense of pessimism among people over numerous scams that surfaced in the last two years.

"This yatra is intended to remove the sense of pessimism and to re-infuse confidence that the UPA govt has failed but the potential of people of India and country remains unaffected.", he said.