CHANDIGARH April 11: Expressing shock over the Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s admission about use of black money in elections, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today questioned his (Mr Badal’s) locus standi about his demand seeking death penalty for political corruption. He wondered as how could Mr Badal demand death penalty for corruption when he himself admitted to use of black money in elections in the same speech.
In a statement issued here today, Capt Amarinder Singh said, it is a common knowledge that Mr Badal is the most corrupt man in Punjab and now that he has also admitted to the use of black money himself, people should have no more doubts about that. He hoped that the Income Tax people should also have taken note of his admission of using black money in the elections.The former Chief Minister criticised Mr Badal for saying that it was difficult to get rid of the political corruption and use of black money in the elections. He maintained that it only betrayed Mr Badal’s lack of will to fight the corruption and corrupt practices. “From his (Mr Badal’s) own admission our charges against him and his government stand vindicated”, Capt Amarinder pointed out, while asking, “how can you expect a corruption free government from a man who publicly admits to use of black money in elections”.
He regretted that a Chief Minister should so candidly admit that he has been using black money in elections and could do nothing about it. “This simply amounts to admission of guilt for which he does not deserve to hold the constitutional post and he should better resign from it”, the former Chief Minister pointed out while wondering what he (Mr Badal) wanted to convey, his inability and helplessness or letting the system slide from bad to worse.
“Did he (Mr Badal) mean that the corruption and black money was an integral part of our political system and nobody could do anything about it?” the PCC President asked while advising Mr Badal to speak with responsibility. “Such irresponsible statements from the Chief Minister who has spent over six decades in politics can further alienate and antagonise people from politics and reinforce in them the widely held belief that politicians are corrupt”, the PCC President pointed out.
Capt Amarinder Singh said, now that Mr Badal has frankly admitted to use of black money in elections, he should go a little further and declare his assets as well and explain to the people of Punjab as how he accumulated those.