Gadkari defensive at BJP protest against corruption

NEW DELHI, Nov 21:
Facing charges of dubious funding of his companies and demands from within for resigning from his post, BJP President Nitin Gadkari today claimed he was clean and said he did not fear facing any probe as he has not done any wrong.
“There is an attempt to defame us. We are clean. There is no need to fear and we are ready to face any probe. I want to assure you that we have not done anything wrong,” Gadkari said addressing a BJP protest rally at Jantar Mantar here on the issues of corruption, price rise and FDI.
The BJP protest rally was organised by its Delhi unit and attended by senior party leaders including Rajnath Singh, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Vijay Goel and Vijender Gupta. After the rally, leaders led by Rajnath Singh marched towards the Prime minister’s residence and courted arrest at Parliament Street police station. Gadkari did not court arrest.
Attacking the Congress-led UPA Government, Gadkari charged the Congress with misusing the CBI by threatening anyone who spoke against it or exposed its “wrongdoings and corruption”.
“There is loot in this country. BJP has been exposing this government’s corruption and scams. That is why there is an attempt to defame us,” he alleged.
“Congress is misusing the CBI against Mayawati (of Bahujan Samaj Party), Mulayam (of Samajwadi Party), Shibu Soren (of JMM), DMK’s ministers and NCP and other allies by threatening them with CBI files and cases. False allegations have also been levelled against the BJP. The Congress says if you speak against us, we will destroy you. Whosoever wants to probe, can probe. We are not scared,” Gadkari said.
On Kasab’s hanging, Gadkari said it had been delayed and asked why Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru had not been sent to the gallows.
“Kasab has been hanged. But it has taken a lot of time. I want to ask the UPA government why Parliament attack accused Afzal Guru has not been hanged even 10 years after the incident…. Will this Government implement the Supreme Court verdict on Afzal Guru. This government should clarify,” the BJP chief said.
Gadkari accused Congress of doing votebank politics and asked why the government was not executing Guru even after the Supreme Court verdict.
“Congress party is promoting terrorism. It is not ready to executive Afzal Guru due to votebank politics. It fears losing votes if Guru is hanged,” he alleged and asked “Can such a Government save the people from terrorism?”
The BJP chief said the Congress Government was on its way out, but was surviving with the help of CBI, through which it threatened its allies, and said BJP-led NDA was the only alternative to the UPA.
“This Government is in intensive-care unit and can go any time. There is no future of this government as its alliance partners are unhappy. Nobody today listens to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The CBI Director is the strength of this government. If this government is there, it is because of CBI and its blackmail. Whenever the opposition tries to bring no- confidence motion, government misuses CBI,” he said. (PTI)