Wild charges undermine fight against corruption, Dr. JP tells Team Anna

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today counseled Team Anna not to undermine our collective fight against corruption by making wild allegations in irrational exuberance and in reckless abandon for principle of elementary fairness and natural justice.

Sharply reacting to Team Anna’s demand for an inquiry by a panel of judges into allegations against Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and 14 other Union Ministers, Dr. JP said in a media statement that assuming every one is corrupt and every Government decision is tainted with corruption unless otherwise proved is a sure recipe for disaster.

“Nothing can be more illogical and untrue than assuming that everyone in politics is bad and those outside politics are angels.

“Those who fight against corruption must have respect for truth and evidence and not rely on hearsay and speculation.”

Dr. JP said the need of the hour today is building institutions and shaping policies that promote integrity and competence and not reviling everybody and creating conditions of anarchy.

“We may or may not like politics and policies of certain leaders. We may even be deeply offended by their approach to certain issues. But it will be a travesty of justice to accuse them of corruption.”

Dr. JP recalled that the Lok Satta took a similar stand when reckless allegations were leveled against Team Anna.

Dr. JP said that there is no place for vindictiveness and malicious propaganda in public life, and quoted Mahatma Gandhi as saying that the best and quickest way of getting justice is rendering justice to the opponent. “If we do not extend adversaries the same courtesy that we seek from them, then society becomes a living hell and nation becomes notional.”

Dr. JP underlined that there are many men and women in public life who maintain high standards of conduct and probity against heavy odds and named leaders like Dr. Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, A. K. Antony, L. K. Advani, Arun Jaitley, Nitish Kumar, Buddadeb Bhattacharya, Navin Patnaik, Narendra Modi, Mamata Banerjee, Prakash Karat, Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and N. Rangasamy.

Dr. JP asked Team Anna to focus on nation building and not on hitting headlines.