There is no single remedy for corruption: President

President Pratibha Patil said in her address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day that though there is a need to fight corruption, there must be no effort to erode the powers of institutions such as Parliament. Full text of speech

President Pratibha Patil said in her address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day that though there is a need to fight corruption, there must be no effort to erode the powers of institutions such as Parliament.

"Credibility of institutions depends upon their conduct, which must be in accordance with the constitutional framework. We should strengthen them and their ability to take corrective actions, whenever required. There should be no effort, consciously or otherwise, that will lead to the erosion of institutional credibility and authority,” Patil said on Sunday.

On an all-encompassing lokpal bill as the means to fight political and bureaucratic corruption, the President said, “There cannot be just one panacea or remedy to deal with it (corruption) but a system of transparency and accountability should be put in place at various levels and then effectively enforced.”

Patil said Parliament represents people from all parts of the country and a broad spectrum of political thought. “Its legislation is an outcome of collective thinking and application of minds.”

Likening corruption to a cancer affecting the nation’s political, economic, cultural and social life and the necessity to eliminate it, she said, “Government, Parliament, judiciary and society at large, should ponder about this, and find out ways to handle it in a manner that is practical, implementable and sustainable.”

Full text of the President's address