By IANS,
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday said demonstrable action had been taken in cases of corruption and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was committed to transparency, accountability and probity in public life.
Speaking at the release of a “Report to the People 2010-11” on completion of two years of the second UPA government, both Manmohan Singh and Gandhi said that they were determined to fulfill the expectations of people who had voted them back to power in 2009.
With the past year of the UPA government having been beset with a series of controversies including 2G spectrum scam, the Adarsh housing society controversy and Commonwealth Games contracts, both the top Congress leaders used the occasion to convey that the guilty were being brought to book and the government was keen to focus its energies on its agenda of inclusive growth.
Gandhi referred to results of April-May assembly polls to say that people wanted “good, effective, accountable governance”.
The DMK, which is an ally of the Congress in UPA and whose two MPs are facing allegations related to 2G spectrum controversy, lost badly in assembly polls in Tamil Nadu.
Pointing out that UPA had won three of five assembly polls, Gandhi congratulated Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for her “historic victory” as also party chief ministers Oommen Chandy (Kerala) and Tarun Gogoi (Assam).
She said that UPA-I had transformed the nature of governance by its rights-based approach and UPA-II was in the process of finalising the national food security bill.
“It is a great step forward in our pledge to end hunger and malnutrition once and for all,” she said.
She said disruption of parliament by the opposition had been a reason for the delay in the introduction of an amended land acquisition bill but said the government was committed to bringing the legislation, along with the Lokpal Bill in the monsoon session.
Taking a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Gandhi said while the UPA had amply demonstrated its will to tackle corruption by taking action, but “some opposition parties do not share the same standards of probity when it concerns their own”.
She congratulated Manmohan Singh for successfully leading the UPA government for seven years.
The prime minister, who briefly spoke to reporters after the report release, expressed concern over allegations of corruption that have besieged the government over the past year.
“I am certainly saddened by the developments. We will initiate course correction,” the prime minister said.
In his speech, the prime minister said developments relating to the 2G spectrum allocation, procurement matters related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games and similar issues in the states had led concerned citizens to worry about the state of governance and pervasiveness of corruption and his government was committted to taking corrective action.
“These are legitimate concerns and the UPA government is determined to take corrective action. The due processes of law are already in motion. We are taking steps to prevent such developments in future and reduce discretionary and arbitrary use of power by public officials,” the prime minister said.
Manmohan Singh said his government’s record was an open book and it should be judged by its performance.
He said the government government will remain ever vigilant in the fight against terrorism and extremism.
He said India stands at the cusp of new opportunities and new challenges.
“These are difficult times, with rising energy prices, with increasing demand for food, with new challenges to human security. But these are also times of change, with the engine of global growth shifting eastwards to Asia. Asia is on the march, and so is India,” he said.
Terming his seven years as prime minister as a “daunting journey”, the prime minister said the love, affection and support of the people of the country had given “us the strength, the energy and the determination to take our country forward”.
He said India will soon become the fastest growing economy, having expanded admirably in the past few years despite the difficult global situation.
“If each one of us continues to work hard with dedication, commitment and honesty, I am sure India will soon emerge as the fastest growing economy.”
He said in the past seven years the UPA had been in power, the country had grown at an unprecedented 8.5 percent annually despite grave global financial crises and slowdown.
Leaders of the UPA parties were present at the function, which was not attended by the Bahujan Samaj Party, which supports the government from outside.
The BSP has been at loggerheads with the Congress over its allegations of repression against farmers in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh seeking higher compensation for their acquired lands.
The DMK, two of whose MPs, including party supremo M Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi, are in jail, registered a token presence at the function. It was represented by party leader T. R. Baalu with none of its six ministers present.