Srinagar: Expressing shock over the statement of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that tackling corruption in a coalition government was impossible, All India Congress Committee (AICC) member Abdul Gani Vakil said it was nothing but to surrender before corrupt.
It was shocking that the Chief Minister said that tackling corruption in a coalition government was impossible and he has to compromise in a coalition set up in the state, Mr Vakil said in a statement here today.
Regretting such a shocking and what he called an irresponsible statement, Mr Vakil said it seems that Mr Abdullah has completely surrendered before the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats who are looting the state exchequer at their whims.
He said that ”coalition” is no excuse and cannot be any hurdle in curbing corruption if one is determined to uproot corruption from the system.
Such statements demoralise honest and dedicated people who are fighting a virtual war against corruption, the AICC member said.
In a state where the Chief Minster prefers to drop sanction against corrupt ministers or keeps sitting on files of corrupt bureaucrats or ministers, then fight against this menace gets weakened.
The former minister said that despite being in coalition and that too of many parties, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre did not hesitate in taking action against top bureaucrats and ministers.
In some cases, many politicians and bureaucrats were even sent behind bars which should serve an eye-opener to the Chief Minister that in an era of coalition, corruption cannot be fought.
He said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi did not spare even their own party people like former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, senior Congress leader Suresh Kalmadi or for that matter telecommunication minister A Raja when their names surfaced in corruption.
He said Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar too had to submit his resignation over allegations of corruption and there also Congress was in coalition.
