M A I N   N E W S

Advani backs Gadkari, but talks tough on graft
Tribune News Service

Nitinji has come clean by asking for an inquiry by the Department of Company Affairs. It is a fair and proper response. This shows the difference in the BJP’s attitude. — LK Advani, BJP leader

Nitin Gadkari has categorically stated that there is no wrongdoing and has offered himself for a probe. It is unjust and unfair to accept these allegations as true without a probe. — Sushma Swaraj on Twitter

New Delhi, October 24
With Nitin Gadkari facing a fusillade of charges, including dubious sources of investments in his companies, veteran BJP leader LK Advani today came out in strong defence of the party chief.

Praising Gadkari for his offer that he was ready to face any probe, Advani said: “Nitinji has come clean by asking for an inquiry by the Department of Company Affairs. It is a fair and proper response. This shows the difference in the BJP's attitude. It needs to be noted that the allegations are about standards of business and not misuse of power or corruption’’.

The BJP leader, however, quickly added: "But I am of the view that the BJP should be different and should not claim immunity on either scale or nature of the allegations.”

Advani's defence of Gadkari assumes significance in the context of continuing media reports of the way his companies were being run and a shadow cast on a second term for him as party president.

Accusing the Congress-led UPA alliance of attempting to work on a strategy to paint the entire political class with the same brush to “to minimise and escape its unpardonable sins”, he said the allegations against the BJP president were more to neutralise the unprecedented charges against the ruling coalition.

He said the allegations against opposition leaders like Gadkari was an "off-shoot" of this.

Advani said one of the allegations of wrongdoing against Gadkari related to land issue which has been proved wrong according to media reports themselves.

He also congratulated Gadkari for "voluntarily" asking for a probe into the allegations of dubious funding in his companies.

Reacting to the statement by Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily regarding an inquiry, the veteran BJP leader hoped that it would be fair and the government would not use its political hostility to “colour the probe.”

Echoing similar support, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the party trusts its chief and stands by him.

“Nitin Gadkari has categorically stated that there is no wrongdoing and has offered himself for a probe. It is unjust and unfair to accept these allegations as true without a probe’’, Sushma said on Twitter, the micro-blogging website.

Advani and Sushma coming out to bat for the party chief is significant comes as it does close on the heels of BJP MP Ram Jethmalani stating that Gadkari should not seek a second term in the wake of such charges. Incidentally, a few days ago, Jethmalani suggested that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi be projected as the prime ministerial candidate ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress, on the other hand, took at dig at Advani for backing Gadkari in the face of allegations of dubious saying it reflected BJP’s “double standards” on every issue, including corruption.

“The BJP has internalised double standards in its approach to each and every issue. When the BJP or its leaders are in the zone of questioning, the argument of political vendetta is conveniently trotted out but when it involves a non-BJP issue of personality, they shoot from the hip without responsibility and restraint’’ Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.