Congress fountainhead of corruption: Naidu

Gwalior, Nov 18 (UNI) Criticising Congress for levelling corruption charges against BJP governments, former party president M Venkaiah Naidu today said Congress was the ''fountainhead of corruption'' in the country.

Mr Naidu told mediapersons here that Congress ministers were found embroiled in several scams, including Bofors and Hawala, that took place during the its regime.

Besides, the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre had been taking support of Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Shibu Soren, who were on bail due to corruption charges. Despite that Congress was charging BJP of corruption, which seemed funny, he said.

''Instead of combating corruption and other related problems, the Congress was showing sympathy to terrorism,'' he alleged.

He also crticised Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav and Mr Prasad for advocating banned outfit - Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)-, while demanding ban on patriotic organisations like the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh.

''A total of 207 people were killed in Mumbai serial bomb blasts and several people were killed in a blast at a mosque but their accused were yet not held, while Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and an army officer, who were still not proved guilty by the court, were being charged as Hindu terrorists in 2006 Malegaon blasts,'' he rued.

Alleging that the Congress was misusing the ATS, the CBI, he said it was making false statements about sadhus, saints and army officers even before the probe was completed.

Mr Naidu said the ATS first confirmed the use of RDX in the Samjhauta Express blast case and later denied its own statement.

The Congress showed sympathy towards terrorists, who were undergoing sentence from the Supreme Court, he alleged.

On allegation leveled against Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh of having ISI links, Mr Naidu clarified that he had not made personal remarks against Mr Singh. However, he would reply if a legal notice was served.

He said the Congress was having a soft attitude towards terrorists while adopting a hard line to the nationalists organisations like the RSS, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

Mentioning the state governments development schemes, he said that he was ready for any discussion on the development work done by the Chouhan government.

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