Allahabad: Union HRD Minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday charged the opposition parties with deriving political mileage from the issue of corruption while "working in collusion" to stall anti-graft measures taken by the government.
He attacked the BJP-led NDA as well as the BSP and the Samajwadi Party for not supporting the UPA government during voting on the Lokpal Bill in Parliament.
"The BJP acted irresponsibly and unreasonably during voting on the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha. The BSP and the SP staged a walkout for reasons best known to them. It seems the three parties have been working in collusion to stall any anti-corruption measures taken by the government," Sibal told reporters here.
He pointed out that none of the three parties had done anything to give more teeth to the Lokayukta while they ruled Uttar Pradesh.
"The BJP is indulging in rhetoric by raising demand for a strong Lokpal every now and then, but has failed to appoint a Lokayukta in Gujarat where it has been in power for more than a decade," he said.
Appealing to the voters for their support in the Assembly elections, Sibal said, "The people of the state should rid themselves of the BJP, the SP and the BSP which have ruled the province during the past couple of decades."
"Voters of UP must take a hard look at themselves and keep some bitter truths in mind. The state figures at the bottom in terms of development indices but has the highest crime rate and the largest number of children who are malnourished or who die before the age of five.
"UP can move out of this rut. We hope the people will repose their trust in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and give Congress a chance," he said.
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