Yatra over, anti-graft campaign on: Advani

Ending his anti-corruption Jan Chetna Yatra in New Delhi, BJP patriarch LK Advani set the ball rolling for taking the fight against “UPA corruption” from the streets to Parliament, which meets for winter session from Tuesday. Vikas Pathak reports. Who said what | Advani yatra finale brings NDA together | Pics: Advani ends yatra

Ending his anti-corruption Jan Chetna Yatra in New Delhi with a well-attended rally on Sunday, BJP patriarch LK Advani set the ball rolling for taking the fight against "UPA corruption" from the streets to Parliament, which meets for its month-long winter session from Tuesday.



Advani announced that within a week of the start of the session, all National Democratic Alliance (NDA) MPs would give written declarations to the Lok Sabha speaker or Rajya Sabha chairman that they don’t have any illegal assets abroad or money that is not accounted for.

Bharatiya-Janata-Party-BJP-senior-leader-LK-Advani-C-is-presented-with-a-huge-floral-garland-at-a-public-rally-marking-the-end-of-his-thirty-eight-day-long-nationwide-campaign-against-corruption-in-New-Delhi-AP-Photo-Manish-Swarup

"The NDA has authorised me to announce this," said Advani. "The declaration would say, ‘I solemnly declare that I do not have directly or indirectly any bank account or assets illegally held outside India’."

The BJP has been demanding the names of more than 700 Indians with black money —allegedly including three MPs — in HSBC Bank in Geneva reportedly revealed by France. The government has said that this cannot be done due to international treaty obligations till income tax authorities are able to prosecute the offenders.

Advani differentiated his stand from Hazare’s campaign: “I don’t agree that corruption is rampant because of the absence of a lokpal. We support the lokpal but the reason for corruption is not the absence of laws but of political will.”

Dismissing Advani's criticism of the UPA government, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said his yatra was mere “lip service” and an attempt to remain “afloat” in his party.

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