M A I N   N E W S

Cong hopes it will dilute Oppn’s JPC demand
Anita Katyal
Our Political Correspondent

New Delhi, February 2
Having been at the receiving end on the issue of corruption, the Congress-led UPA now hopes that the arrest of former telecom minister A Raja by the CBI today will blunt the Opposition attack against the government and dilute its demand for a JPC probe into the 2G scam when Lok Sabha leader Pranab Mukherjee meets Opposition leaders on February 8 to discuss the matter.

Feeling emboldened by today’s development, the next strategy of the Congress is to sharpen its attack against the BJP by contrasting the main Opposition party’s record in dealing with allegations of corruption as against the swift action taken by the UPA government.

In this context, the Congress will point to the BJP’s inability to take action against scam-tainted Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and also recall the saffron party’s response to the tehelka sting operation when the NDA government reinstated George Fernandes as the Defence Minister even before the judicial probe against him had been completed.

“The action taken by us is visible and apparent. We have always maintained that corruption will not be tolerated and that the guilty will not go unpunished ....but what has the BJP done in Karantaka,” said a senior Congress leader. That the war of words between the Congress and the BJP is set to escalate in the coming days was evident from the reactions coming from the two camps. While the BJP dubbed Raja’s arrest as “too little, too late”, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi hit back, describing the BJP’s reaction as a case of doublespeak. Pointing to Yeddyurappa’s alleged involvement in land scams, he said, “The BJP could have asked someone in Karnataka to step down. It is their double standard.”

“All the doubting Thomases who doubted the sincerity of commitment to take action as per law should have been silenced. Law has taken its own course in the case. We are not concerned about the innocence or guilt of the accused. All those who raised questions, should be silent by now. The credibility of the government stands enhanced,” he said.

The Congress is also confident that the action initiated against Raja will not impact is relations with the DMK. Congress insiders maintained that Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi was sounded about the possibility of Raja’s arrest during his separate meetings with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi two days ago.

“We have always maintained that party never comes in between legal procedure. It has nothing to do with our relation with the DMK,” said Janardan Dwivedi, Congress media department chief.