Disdain for politicians not good: L K Advani

NEW DELHI: Senior BJP leader LK Advani has expressed misgivings about all politicians being painted black.

While Advani, whose party backed social activist Anna Hazare's campaign for a Lokpal bill, did not associate him with the belief that all politicians are corrupt, he said there was no dearth of analysts who held that his and Baba Ramdev's popularity had a lot to do with his shunning political personalities.

"It is the index of Anna's innate decency and his disinclination to believe that all politicians are corrupt that he publicly apologised to Uma Bharati," Advani blogged. The BJP leader was referring to Bharati being turned away from the fast venue last week.

"I am of the view that those who revel in spreading a general climate of disdain about politics and politicians are doing a gross disservice to democracy," BJP leader Advani blogged

The BJP leader said that despite shortcomings of Indian democracy, "we still have conscientious and upright politicians in the country and it is they who still give people optimism and confidence for the future."

Though the government did not accept BJP's demand for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue when Hazare was on a fast-unto-death, it did not keep the principal opposition party in the dark on the deal struck with agitators over setting up a joint committee.

"On the evening of April 8, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee rang me up to apprise me about the terms of the deal the government had been able to work out with Hazare," Advani said.

The BJP leader also said Mukherjee conveyed to him that the government had assured Anna that the bill as drafted by the proposed committee would be introduced in Parliament during the monsoon session.

"My comment was, let it be passed in that session. Even if the bill is to be referred to the standing committee, it can be finalised and passed. Everyone is keen that there be no delay in tackling corruption. In fact government should be conscious that the dimensions of corruption have become so frightening that the assault on this malady has to be multi-pronged," he said.

BJP leader LK Advani reiterated the party's demand that a meeting of all political parties should be convened to discuss the issue particularly in the context of black money and curbing money power in elections.