Print this article

Gadkari shares stage with Ramdev, pledges support to stir

August 13, 2012 15:33 IST

Sharing the dais with Ramdev, Bharatiya Janata Party President Nitin Gadkari on Monday pledged his party's "full support" to the yoga guru's agitation against black money and launched a blistering attack on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government on issues like corruption and black money.

Appearing along with National Democratic Alliance convenor Sharad Yadav at the Ramlila Maidan protest venue, Gadkari told Ramdev that the BJP

would stand "fully behind him" in his agitation demanding bringing back black money stashed away in foreign banks and that the party was raising the issue in Parliament.

"There is no political agenda to this agitation. This agitation should not be seen from political prism. This is an agitation of the people of the country and not of one single party. Black money should be brought back to the country and spent on the country's development," he said in his address.

Alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation has become the "Congress Investigation Bureau", Gadkari claimed that the investigative agency was the

"biggest strength" of the government which is using it to black mail people like Ramdev.

"We have not seen it once. We have seen it many times that the CBI is misused by the government. They use it to blackmail people. They are trying to harass people like Ramdev and his supporters," he said.

The BJP chief also wanted to know why the government was "reluctant" in naming the people who have stashed black money in foreign shores.

"The BJP is fully behind Baba in his fight against black money. He has our full support. Here you are leading lakhs of people in the movement and in Parliament, the BJP raised the issue and stalled the House on the matter," he said.

He said black money should be brought back to the country and spent on developing India.

Gadkari also alleged that the government "shows the way" to jail to people who raise their voice against corruption and black money instead of listening to them.

"The government is full of corruption. The PMO and most departments saw the file regarding 2G spectrum but they said they know nothing. Did not P Chidambaram clear the files? Only Raja and Kalmadi have landed in jail," he charged.

"I feel that after the elections, most people who are roaming in Central Hall will be in Tihar Jail. This is what I feel," he said. He also asked people of the country to support the movement against black money and corruption so that the money is spent on their development and empowerment.