Sonia's speech on Team Anna triggers Cong-BJP slugfest

Congress President Sonia Gandhi's speech in Uttarkhand on Wednesday, which made a veiled attack on Team Anna, sparks a political slugfest between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party over the issue of corruption.

While BJP accused the United Progressive Alliance chairperson of being equally responsible for the "inaction" against corruption in government, Congress said the opposition party has no moral right to talk about corruption. "It is surprising that BJP talks about corruption. Whenever the Congress and the government felt there was slightest indication of corruption, action was taken even before the courts held any body guilty," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi told the media in New Delhi. He also raked up the corruption issues involving former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurapa, former party president Bangaru Laxman and former party member of Parliament Dilip Singh Judev.

"Advani says he tried to convince former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa but he does not detail what he tried to convince him. Then why Advani remained silent," Alvi said.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said "the UPA chairperson has said in her speech at a programme in Uttarakhand that mere public speeches will not end corruption. I think she has read out our statement. We have been saying for long that corruption is not going to end by speeches".

"The hands of both the UPA-I and UPA-II governments are soiled in corruption," he added.

Alvi dismissed BJP's criticism of UPA government on price rise issue saying there was no let-up in the same during the National Democratic Alliance rule but added that Congress wants the government to take steps to bring down prices as soon as possible and is hopeful it will happen before long.