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| Conduit is with us, target too will face music: CM | | Azad says action against Minister only if proved guilty | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Jan 14
The conduit of corruption has been arrested and intended the intended recipient will too meet the same destiny, said a taken aback Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad replying a marathon debate on corruption in the legislative assembly today following allegations against a Minister in the coalition government.
After an elaborate debate on corruption, the Chief Minister asserted that his resolve against the corruption has rather further strengthened after the MLA leveled allegations against the Minister. He admitted that it was matter of shock for him that such an allegation has come but reiterated that the war against corruption will be taken to a logical end.
It is reliably learnt that the MLA Shoaib Lone has given the name to the Chief Minister of the Minister whose personal staff allegedly accepted the bribe. The Chief Minister, however, played it quite safe and wanted to investigate the case before moving against the Minister.
The Chief Minister said that Shoaib Lone had informed him that somebody had made an intimidating telephone call to his mother after he raised in the House the issue of corruption against a minister and his personal staff. He said the person who made the call had been arrested, adding that Mr. Lone confirmed he was the person who had demanded and taken bribe from him to process his sister's case. He said action against the accused would be taken under the law and if found guilty, he would not be spared. He said it would be also looked into whether the accused had taken the bribe at his own level or accepted it for somebody else. He said in case it was found that he was working as a conduit then the person for whom the bribe money was taken would also face the music.
The EARLY TIMES has learnt that the arrested person was a driver of a Cabinet Minister and he is being questioned for his role in the entire episode.
The Chief Minister reiterated his firm commitment to fight corruption in the State and said nothing could weaken his resolve. He said he had made his intentions to wage war against corruption clear the day he came to Jammu and Kashmir to assume the responsibilities of the government. He recalled that on the day of filing his nomination papers as a candidate for Bhadarwah assembly constituency, he had been advised not to speak against militancy and corruption in case he wanted to win at the hustings. He said he was told that if he did, the militants would not let elections take place and government employees would go against him. He said since his politics was based on principles which he would never compromise with, he made his first speech after filing nomination papers against militancy and corruption. He said if compromises were made on basic issues then one had no right to be in politics or claim to be working for the people.
The Chief Minister said that there would be no let up in the fight against corruption and anybody, irrespective of position or status, found guilty would be proceeded against. He asked the legislators and ministers to be more cautious as people's confidence in them was directly linked with their conduct. He said he had announced award and cash prize for whistle blowers helping the government in combating corruption, adding that this was not restricted to corruption by government officials alone. He said solid complaints against Chief Minister, Ministers and legislators also come under its ambit. He said if one public representative was accused of corruption the prestige of the entire fraternity is lowered in the public eye. He said ministers and legislators were in the constant public gaze and whatever they did was watched by people. He asked them to set best examples of themselves. He said if they receive any complaint against their staff it should be thoroughly investigated. |
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