BJP ups the ante on corruption, black money

Bangalore, Jun 9: Upping the ante, BJP today (June 9) announced it would undertake a three-day mass awakening programme, including nationwide protests and meetings, from June 24 on the issues of corruption and black money.

This programme is to protest against the "wanton" attack on peoples'' democratic right and to reaffirm the commitment against black money and bringing back corrupt money lying in foreign banks, BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

"The more the central government is getting exposed in corruption, the more anti-democratic it's becoming in crushing people's protests," he said on the police action against Yoga instructor Baba Ramdev and his supporters at Ramlila grounds.

"This most undemocratic repression was done only because the peaceful demonstrations were demanding strong action against black money and corruption," Prasad said.

The same government, he said, allowed separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to hold a meeting in Delhi.

Home Minister Chidambaram justified police inaction against Geelani saying he had freedom of speech and protest, he said.

"However, any protest against corruptin is not being tolerated by the same government," he said. "Dr Manmohan Singh in the most shameful manner has justified this atrocity (against Ramdev and supporters) while Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are still maintaining a conspicuous silence".

PTI