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"Nitinji has come clean by asking for an inquiry by the Department of Company Affairs. It is a fair and proper response," he said in a statement here on media reports questioning alleged dubious funding and other issues involving his company Purti Power and Sugar.
Maintaining that Gadkari's response showed the difference in BJP's attitude, Advani said the allegations against Gadkari were about "standards of business and not misuse of power or corruption"
"But I am of the view that the BJP should be different and should not claim immunity on either scale or nature of the allegations," he said.
Advani's defence of Gadkari assumes significance in the context of continuing media reports of the way his companies were being run and a shadow cast on a second term for him as party president.
BJP MP Ram Jethmalani has demanded that Gadkari should quit the post and not not seek a second term in office in the interest of the party.
Accusing the Government of trying to neutralise the "unprecedented" corruption charges against it by targeting Gadkari, Advani hoped there will be an impartial probe into the matter.
"I hope that the government inquiry will be fair and the government will not use its political hostility to the BJP to colour the inquiry," he said.
Advani accused the UPA of trying to work a strategy to paint the entire political class with the same brush to minimise and escape its "unpardonable sins".
He said the allegations against opposition leaders like Gadkari was an "off-shoot" of this.
Advani said one of the allegations of wrongdoing against Gadkari related to land issue which has been proved wrong according to media reports themselves. He also congratulated Gadkari for "voluntarily" asking for a probe into the allegations of dubious funding in his companies.
Advani lamented that the "monumental" corruption by the ruling UPA has "made the political class hang its head in shame".
Cong ridicules Advani's remarks backing Gadkari
Congress today took at dig at L K Advani for backing his party chief Nitin Gadkari in the face of allegations of dubious funding of his companies, saying it reflected BJP's "double standards" on "every issue" including corruption.
The party also sought to draw parallel between the controversy surrounding Gadkari and the cash on camera scandal involving former BJP chief Bangaru Laxman.
"BJP has internalised double standards in its approach to each and every issue. When the BJP or its leaders are in the zone of questioning, the argument of political vendetta is conveniently trotted out but when it involves a non-BJP issue of personality, they shoot from the hip without responsibility and restraint," party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.
Insisting that there are questions on the BJP chief's role, he said "you cannot come out of the shadow of these questions by levelling allegations on others. There is only one way that the government probes the matter and you come out clean".
He was responding to the remarks of Advani lauding Gadkari's offer to face an inquiry into the allegations and saying it is a "fair and proper" response.
Advani said the allegations against Gadkari involving his company Purti Power and Sugar were about "standards of business and not misuse of power or corruption".
"I hope that the government inquiry will be fair and the government will not use its political hostility to the BJP to colour the inquiry," he said.
Another Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi also ridiculed Advani's contentions.
"I feel like laughing at this defence. The entire country has seen the allegations has not come from one section but from different sides. Even after that, if instead of giving explanation on the allegations, he (Advani) is congratulating Gadkari. People of the country will give a befitting response to it," he said.
In a statement laced with sarcasm, Alvi said the president of a party represents its ideology and as such BJP is identified with its chief's ideology.
"We remember the entire BJP was defending its former President Bangaru Laxman, when allegations were levelled against him.... It is their decision whom they want to keep as their party chief. We are not saying BJP should remove its chief or Gadkari should resign," he said.
Laxman had to quit as BJP chief after he was caught on camera allegedly taking a bribe of Rs one lakh in a fictitious arms deal case 11 years ago and was sentenced to four years in jail by a Delhi court in April this year.
Alvi said the BJP is accusing UPA of corruption even as its own party chief is facing serious allegations.
"My suggestion is that one should first clarify about oneself. BJP should clarify about the allegations against Gadkari instead of putting allegations on others."
Speaking separately, Tewari said that the allegations are serious and both the BJP chief and the RSS should answer.
"BJP chief should come out with an answer. RSS should answer to it. But what will you say, when you have nothing to say. That, which is evident, does not require any proof. When so many facts are evident about the matter, what answer can you expect from the RSS or anybody else," Tewari said.
He also targeted Arvind Kejriwal's India Against Corruption describing it as B team of a section of the BJP and reminded the Opposition party "when you sow the winds of insinuation, you reap the whirlwind of calumny" and added "we would hope and expect that the BJP leadership realises the virtue of responsibility".
BJP must not pay heed to anyone in the country.. First things First.. 1st thing is - to Probe against Congress Government and Sonia Gandhi upon below.. Why not Indian News Media across the Country creating awareness to probe Sonia Gandhi, aka Antonia Edvige Albina Maino the Italian, who is above Congress above Parliament above JPC above Supreme Court of India above CBI above Spectrum above Wholly Paid News Media above Tax Payers of India above Indian Voters !! if Indian News Media is honest and un-biased, then why not creating awareness to Probe Bofors, CWG, 2G, 3G, BSES-Delhi Electricity Racket-India, Corporate-Political Nexus, Sharad Pawar-Agri Scams, Lalu-Fodder Scams, Vadra-DLF-Rahul-Land Mafia, AMS, NDT, PC, MMS, Moliy, Coalgate, Tatra Defence Deal, ISRO-D-Antrix , Mahatma Gandhi NREGA, NRHM among few are started in New Delhi which is Capital of India by Congress and fake Gandhi Families and Generations itself using the name of Mahatma Gandhi since Independence !
Analyzing the Information by Times of India and of the related politician speeches. The Vision, Mission, objectives, goals, activities and achievements of an organisation should be on focus. Surprisingly it is found that Organisational personnel are in focus. Driver and Astrologer being Directors and so on so forth. Actual focus should be did these Directors also achieve the objectives and did they produce results benefiting their customers if it was a Social firm. India is a country were you could find 3rd std pass being a CM, minister, several common man have achieved stardom, leading businessman, scientists, etc So the focus should be appropriate.
It is a step better than justifying the brazen as in the case of son-in-law of ruling royalty.But offer of Inquiry invites many questions:i)by whom,ii)time frame,iii)credibility of the enquiry.Offer for enquiry could be a re herring.Prima facie.The wrong addresses of investing companies and personal helps being Directors make it difficult to presume innocence of wrong doing by Mr.Gadkari.Immediate political cost is likely to be his not getting 2nd term and rightly so.
B.J.P. Senior Leader Mr Nitin Gadkari has backed B.J.P. National President Mr Nitin Gadkari but quotes no immunity to Party on Graft . Really Mr Advani has focused his vision on Nitin Gadkari at the time when Mr Ram Jethmalani has quoted his point of view that Mr Nitin Gadkari should step down and refrain from becoming B.J.P. National President second time .
It is rather surprising to observe a person of Advanis stature. There is an accusation-there are bogus companies, fake addresses and non recognizable directors. These facts are available with the Company Law Board and Registrar of companies. They cannot be brushed. If BJP has to fight the HP and Gujerat elections on firm and sound footing, Gadkari must quit.
Mr Advani (always referred earlier Advaniji) shame on you to dilute your strong stand against corruption. Shame on us to tolerate you and others bringing shame on RSS itself.
What fault you find with Advaniji? He clearly states no BJP member should claim immunity. see, vadra gate, 2g, coalgate, swiss accounts. whats going on with congress. Gadkari has asked for probe that too by a govt that is hostile and wagging all out war not only with BJP but with Indians. There stands BJP. There stands Advani taller than any others. The media knows it is all to thwart the attempt to corner italian family. Its shame on you my dear indian to comment like this.
What does Advani mean by Gakari has "come clean". Is is something as easy as taking a dip in the Ganga and cleaning away sins? What about taking loans in exchange for road project contracts..is that not misuse of political connections and corruption? Or getting land on lease through influence? Advani should understand that it is not possible to defend the indefensible.
Neck deep in corruption Congress is desperately trying to avoid white wash in coming elections. So it takes the help of channels like NDTV, medias like TOI to malign BJP. Advani played the master stroke taking the challenge of Congress head on. This Ram Jethmalani is proving to be a black sheep by acting as opposition remaining within the party. It is strange why BJP has kept this unethical man who stays most of the time in UK and plays nonsense. He must have been so unethical due to protecting the criminals in court for money. Who stops him to leave the party like BSY in Karnaka and save some of his credibility? What did he do to expose Rajiv Gandhi as Black Money holder in Swiss bank when he claimed that he had seen his name there?
