Before dinner, PM Manmohan, Sonia take a stab at corruption(GOOD WISHES.CORRECT WHAT IS WRONG INSIDE THEIR OWN PARTY AND COALITION THEN CORRECT OTHERS ALSO...WHETHER THEY ARE WRONG,OR ITS MISCONCEPTION(BHRANTIAN),PREJUDICES AGAINST THEM OR OPPOSITIONS VESTED INTEREST...MUST CLEAR YOUR MESS THEN PREACH,GROW N LEAD WHOLE COUNTRYMEN TOWARDS GROWTH AND SUCCESS MINUS CORRUPTION,CRIME,ETC...VT)
'UPA committed to fight corruption'
See photo NEW DELHI: Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manohan Singh promised to take corrective action against corruption, acknowledging that graft in public life was a legitimate concern and UPA-II's actions will demonstrate its will to take the malaise head on.
"We will take corruption head on and demonstrate through actions, not words, that we mean what we say," Sonia said at Sunday's function at the prime minister's residence to mark two years of UPA-II. She said the specific message of recent assembly elections was that people wanted and rewarded "good, effective and accountable governance".
"Transparency, accountability and probity are at the very heart of our governance, our actions and we demonstrate this," the Congress chief said, strongly putting anti-corruption measures at the centre of her agenda as she had during the Burari party meet in November last year.
While releasing UPA-II's report to the people, the PM said there was concern over the "pervasiveness of corruption". Later, while speaking to media, the PM denied that the spate of scams had demoralized the government. "There is no question of demoralization. There have been some aberrations. But we will fight on," he said.
The gathering was well attended with DMK's TR Baalu seated next to Sonia on the dais as well as at the dinner table although her frank remarks about the elections that saw the southern ally being wiped out in Tamil Nadu could not have gone down too well. Maharashtra and Rajasthan CMs Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Gehlot were also present.
Referring to the "conjunction" of the 2G telecom scam, the Commonwealth Games "contracting and procurement" issues and similar issues in state governments – a reference to the Adarsh scandal in Mumbai – Singh said his government will not hesitate in acting against misuse of public office.
"These are legitimate concerns and the UPA government is determined to take corrective action. The due processes of law are already in motion. We are taking steps to prevent such developments in future and reduce discretionary and arbitrary use of power by public officials," said the PM. The indication that discretionary powers of ministers will be curtailed means action on Sonia's Burari agenda is on the anvil.
The group of ministers on corruption headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to also consider measures like doing away or amending provisions for mandatory sanctions for prosecuting officials of the rank of joint secretary and above and time-bound processing of disciplinary cases.
Not mincing words, Sonia said that while state election results reflected local issues, the "message specifically for the government is that people reward good governance and accountability" while also taking a dig at BJP without naming the party for not acting as the Congress had done about corruption in high places.
She took heart at the 3-2 victory margin for UPA-II in the state polls, praising Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Kerala's new chief minister Oomen Chandy and Assam CM Tarun Gogoi. Both Gogoi and Chandy were present at the PM's residence.
Singh and Sonia released UPA-II's report card with leaders of coalition partners and outside supporters like Samajwadi Party and RJD in attendance. UP chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati was unrepresented given her political clash with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the Bhatta Parsaul violence.
With DMK chief M Karunandhi's daughter Kanimozhi in jail as an accused in the 2G telecom scam, Baalu was the lone presence with none of the party's six ministers attending.
"We will take corruption head on and demonstrate through actions, not words, that we mean what we say," Sonia said at Sunday's function at the prime minister's residence to mark two years of UPA-II. She said the specific message of recent assembly elections was that people wanted and rewarded "good, effective and accountable governance".
"Transparency, accountability and probity are at the very heart of our governance, our actions and we demonstrate this," the Congress chief said, strongly putting anti-corruption measures at the centre of her agenda as she had during the Burari party meet in November last year.
While releasing UPA-II's report to the people, the PM said there was concern over the "pervasiveness of corruption". Later, while speaking to media, the PM denied that the spate of scams had demoralized the government. "There is no question of demoralization. There have been some aberrations. But we will fight on," he said.
The gathering was well attended with DMK's TR Baalu seated next to Sonia on the dais as well as at the dinner table although her frank remarks about the elections that saw the southern ally being wiped out in Tamil Nadu could not have gone down too well. Maharashtra and Rajasthan CMs Prithviraj Chavan and Ashok Gehlot were also present.
Referring to the "conjunction" of the 2G telecom scam, the Commonwealth Games "contracting and procurement" issues and similar issues in state governments – a reference to the Adarsh scandal in Mumbai – Singh said his government will not hesitate in acting against misuse of public office.
"These are legitimate concerns and the UPA government is determined to take corrective action. The due processes of law are already in motion. We are taking steps to prevent such developments in future and reduce discretionary and arbitrary use of power by public officials," said the PM. The indication that discretionary powers of ministers will be curtailed means action on Sonia's Burari agenda is on the anvil.
The group of ministers on corruption headed by finance minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to also consider measures like doing away or amending provisions for mandatory sanctions for prosecuting officials of the rank of joint secretary and above and time-bound processing of disciplinary cases.
Not mincing words, Sonia said that while state election results reflected local issues, the "message specifically for the government is that people reward good governance and accountability" while also taking a dig at BJP without naming the party for not acting as the Congress had done about corruption in high places.
She took heart at the 3-2 victory margin for UPA-II in the state polls, praising Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Kerala's new chief minister Oomen Chandy and Assam CM Tarun Gogoi. Both Gogoi and Chandy were present at the PM's residence.
Singh and Sonia released UPA-II's report card with leaders of coalition partners and outside supporters like Samajwadi Party and RJD in attendance. UP chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati was unrepresented given her political clash with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over the Bhatta Parsaul violence.
With DMK chief M Karunandhi's daughter Kanimozhi in jail as an accused in the 2G telecom scam, Baalu was the lone presence with none of the party's six ministers attending.
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