BJP makes a U-turn on corruption by supporting Gadkari

New Delhi, Oct 24: Isn't it surprising to see Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (

) which was on the fore-front to fight against

is now backing a person accused of serious charges of corruption and mis-use of power? It is nothing less than complete deviation from its earlier position of fighting corruption when senior BJP leader LK Advani openly supported BJP President

.

Denying allegations of corruption against Gadkari, Advani on Wednesday, Oct 24 said that "there is a conspiracy" against the BJP president. Advani added that these allegations are an "attempt to deflect attention" from the Congress-led UPA's "wrongdoings."

However, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is maintaining silence on corruption allegations against Gadkari. Political observers are confused as whether RSS's silence could be read as support to Gadkari or its antagonism against the senior BJP leader.

India Against Corruption (IAC) member Prashant Bhushan has demanded Gadkari to be charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act for misusing his office as a PWD Minister to favour a company that gave him a loan of Rs 164 crore.

"Gadkari took a loan of 164 Rs crore from a company to whom he had given various benefits as a PWD Minister of Maharastra. Therefore, under the prevention of corruption act, if a public servant receives any kind of gratification for himself or any other person from a company with whom he has official dealings as a public servant than that amounts to corruption under prevention of corruption act," Bhushan told to TV channel CNN-IBN.

Earlier, Congress had called Gadkari a fraud and demanded an impartial probe against him.

Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday, Oct 23 submitted proof of Gadkari's links with Purti Power to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded that the Opposition party leader be probed on fraud charges.

Many of Gadkari's own party members are not happy that he is still holding the top post. Senior BJP leader and advocate Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday had asked Gadkari to quit from the post of BJP President.

OneIndia News