Leader of India's main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lal Krishna Advani lashes out at the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh over widespread scams engulfing the country leading to the federal government's expose of ill governance and mismanagement.
He said this while addressing an audience on Thursday (October 13) in Varanasi city of northern India's Uttar Pradesh state.
Earlier, supporters in Mirzapur district of the state welcomed Advani where he was on a visit to a local temple and also interacted with supporters also.
Addressing a mammoth gathering, he jibed at Singh and said once touted as an honest politician, his cabinet houses one of the most scandalized ministers constantly facilitating scams in the country.
"I have noticed that in the past two years all of a sudden there is uncontrollable corruption in the country. The common man earlier thought high of the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and he was touted as the most honest and corruption-free man in the country. However, the recent scams in the country under his governance have totally disillusioned the common man. The federal government is extremely corrupt, so many cabinet ministers have been forced to resign and some are languishing at the Tihar prison in New Delhi. A joke is doing the rounds that that one day after all cabinet ministers are thrown into the prison, the government will hold their officials meetings inside the prison," said Advani.
The federal government has been stung by controversies, the biggest being the telecom corruption scandal, which may have cost the Indian exchequer around $39.57 billion in potential revenue, as per the country's apex auditing body, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG).
Former Telecom Minister A. Raja was also forced to resign and was sent to prison after CAG indicted him in his report.
Further commenting on the boiling issue of Indian money stashed in foreign banks abroad, he said the money if used appropriately, could potentially benefit 600, 000 villages in India uplifting them socially and infrastructurally.
"If India's wealth which is currently stashed in foreign banks abroad is brought back to the country then it has the potential to benefit around 600, 000 villages in India. Not even one village will suffer due to inadequate food, potable water, and electricity. The money used could potentially benefit school going children and provide them with basic amenities. It will also create better employment opportunities for the youth in villages who are at the receiving end of widespread corruption and Indian money stashed in foreign accounts abroad," said Advani.
Advani kicked off the 38-day nationwide tour against corruption from eastern India's Sitab Diara city, the birthplace of freedom fighter and socialist crusader of Sarvodaya movement Jai Prakash Narayan, on Monday (October 11).
Advani, who built his career on Hindu revivalism, stepped out of the limelight after fighting a losing campaign against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
This planned nationwide tour against corruption sparked talk of his return to the frontline.
During the much-hyped campaign that would last for more than a month, Advani will cover 23 states and four federal administered provinces, which will include 100 districts and log 7600 kilometres.
Advani had organised a similar Yatra in 1990, to mobilise the people towards building a temple dedicated to Lord Rama at Ayodhya city in northern India's Uttar Pradesh state.
Leader of India's main opposition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lal Krishna Advani lashes out at the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh over widespread scams engulfing the country leading to the federal government's expose of ill governance and mismanagement.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL
MIRZAPUR, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (OCTOBER 13, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
1. LAL KRISHNA ADVANI, LEADER OF INDIA'S MAIN OPPOSITION, BHARATIYA JANATA PARTY COMING OUT OF AN OFFICIAL VEHICLE
2. SECURITY PERSONNEL STANDING
3. ADVANI STANDING
4. ADVANI BEING WELCOMED BY SUPPORTERS
5. ADVANI BEING GARLANDED
6. ADVANI WALKING
VARANASI, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (OCTOBER 13, 2011) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (ANI-NO ACCESS BBC)
7. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) L K ADVANI, MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER, SAYING:
"I have noticed that in the past two years all of a sudden there is uncontrollable corruption in the country. The common man earlier thought high of the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh and he was touted as the most honest and corruption-free man in the country. However, the recent scams in the country under his governance have totally disillusioned the common man. The federal government is extremely corrupt, so many cabinet ministers have been forced to resign and some are languishing at the Tihar prison in New Delhi. A joke is doing the rounds that that one day after all cabinet ministers are thrown into the prison, the government will hold their officials meetings inside the prison."
8. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) L K ADVANI, MAIN OPPOSITION LEADER, SAYING:
"If India's wealth which is currently stashed in foreign banks abroad is brought back to the country then it has the potential to benefit around 600, 000 villages in India. Not even one village will suffer due to inadequate food, potable water, and electricity. The money used could potentially benefit school going children and provide them with basic amenities. It will also create better employment opportunities for the youth in villages who are at the receiving end of widespread corruption and Indian money stashed in foreign accounts abroad."
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