By IANS,
New Delhi : Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani Tuesday criticised social activist Anna Hazare’s supporters for painting all politicians black, and said there were still “conscientious and upright” politicians in the country who gave people “optimism and confidence for the future”.
“I am of the view that those who revel in spreading a general climate of disdain about politics and politicians are doing a gross disservice to democracy,” Advani wrote on his blog.
“Despite the shortcomings of Indian democracy, we still have conscientious and upright politicians in the country and it is they who still give people optimism and confidence for the future,” he added.
Advani also defended his former party colleague Uma Bharti, who was turned away from Jantar Mantar by Anna Hazare supporters when she went there to greet Hazare, who was fasting to press for a stringent anti-graft bill. Hazare later apologised to Uma Bharti.
“There is no dearth of analysts who hold that the popularity of these two personalities has a lot to do with the fact that they shun political personalities,” Advani wrote, referring to Hazare and Baba Ramdev.
“No wonder the news that Uma Bharti was turned away from Jantar Mantar, the venue of Anna Hazare’s fast, was very prominently publicised. It was done by some who claimed to be Anna’s followers,” he wrote.
Advani continued to target the United Progressive Alliance government, terming it the “most corrupt in independent India”, and defended the opposition’s obstruction of parliament.
“Opposition parties have ample justification to hold that it is their protest during the last winter session of parliament against the series of scams that had surfaced, that has triggered off a ‘jana andolan’ (people’s movement) against corruption.”
“I wish government realizes that in both cases – the opposition’s success in getting a JPC (joint parliamentary committee to probe the 2G spectrum allocations), and in Anna’s success about a law for Lokpal, the principal contributory has been the UPA government itself which by now has earned the singular reputation of being the most corrupt government independent India has seen.”
The series of scams that have surfaced in recent months and their cost dimensions for the country have really created a feeling of intense anger against the establishment, he added.
Advani also suggested that an all-party meeting should be convened to discuss of corruption, particularly in the context of black money and curbing money power in elections.