Hazare welcomes Rahul's remark on corruption, BJP says hollow

Rahul Gandhi's remark that he was working to improve the "rotten system" after being accused of being "silent" on corruption was welcomed as a "good thing" by anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare on Sunday but an unimpressed BJP said it "sounded hollow".

Rahul Gandhi's remark that he was working to improve the "rotten system" after being accused of being "silent" on corruption was welcomed as a "good thing" by anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare on Sunday but an unimpressed BJP said it "sounded hollow".

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Reacting to Rahul's letter to former Supreme Court judge V R Krishna Iyer that he was silently and continuously working to rid the system of corruption. Hazare said, "I think such youth should come forward and work for the development of the country."

"I don't believe what he said was in reference to me. If fighting corruption is in his mind it is a good thing," Hazare told reporters here.

The BJP said Rahul's statement "sounded hollow" as it could not see any action on the ground by the Congress-led government to check corruption.

"It said if the Congress General Secretary was so serious about corruption, then he should highlight the steps taken in this direction during his party's seven-year rule in the country.

"We don't see action on the ground against corruption.... The claims sound hollow. If he is taking steps than why has corruption not ended," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Reacting sharply to Iyer's letter accusing him of being "silent" on corruption, Gandhi had said he is working to improve a "rotten system" instead of just complaining and has no intention of being glorified as a hero.