Cong. behaving irresponsibly: Advani

KOCHI, APRIL 1. Kicking off the NDA's counter-offensive on the Tehelka expose, the Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, today mounted a scathing attack on the Congress accusing it of behaving ``irresponsibly'' on the issue and said the entire episode brought to the fore the ``corruption'' in the system.

Mr. Advani told a well-attended public meeting that the Congress was using the expose to paint the Government, the armed forces and Indian democracy black, but the party, itself ``tainted'' by several defence scandals including the Bofors and HDW deals, had never set up an inquiry when it was in power nor did any of its Ministers resign over the issues.

``The Congress and the Marxist parties acted irresponsibly when in Government and even more while in the Opposition,'' he told the meeting that launched countrywide `jan jagaran' (mass awareness programme) to ``educate'' the people on the implications of the expose.

Accepting that the present system was corrupt, Mr. Advani said it had been BJP-led Government's endeavour to cleanse the system and the process was on.

Mr. George Fernandes, who quit as Defence Minister following the expose, told the meeting that the tapes were ``godsend lies'' which the Congress and Marxists tried to capitalise on. ``The congress has always thrived on lies and falsehoods.''

Mr. Advani said the report submitted yesterday by Chief Vigilance Commissioner on defence deals would be an ``eye-opener'' when made public. The entire tape, which runs for over four hours, did not mention a single scandal or defence deal. ``It shows among other things the president of a party taking money. But it does not show any deal taking place,'' he said, adding it did not make any allegation about any Minister but revealed that the system was equally ``faulty''.

Apparently referring to the vitriolic attack by the Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, on the Vajpayee Government at the AICC plenary in Bangalore, Mr. Advani asked her to apologise for using ``intemperate'' remarks against the Prime Minister.

- PTI

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