Don't lecture us on morality, BJP tells Congress

Nagpur: Countering the Congress' jibes at the BJP in the wake of conviction of former BJP president Bangaru Laxman in the 2001 fake arms deal case, the party on Saturday said the Congress has no moral right "to lecture them on morality".

"Congress should not lecture us on morality," party spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters in Nagpur on Saturday.

Former BJP president Bangaru Laxman, who was found guilty of accepting a bribe by a Delhi court on Friday, has been sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs one lakh.

He has been convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act for misusing his office and for attempting to influence another public official.

Speaking on the issue, Javadekar further said Laxman now has the option of approaching the higher judiciary, which he would do.

Criticising the CBI, Javadekar said, "The way the probe agency has shown quickness of action in this case, it should also show the same pace in the alleged corruption cases like the 2G scam, Commonwealth Games and the cases involving the then Finance Minister and incumbent Union Home Minister P Chidambaram."

On the cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar's nomination to the Rajya Sabha, Javadekar said it could not be an alternative to conferring the Bharat Ratna award on him.

"The BJP would like to welcome him (Tendulkar) in the Upper House. But we will stick to the demand of conferring the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna on him. His nomination can not be an alternative to that award," he added.

Javadekar said the BJP Parliamentary party will meet shortly to demand government's equal share in the pension scheme. "Presently, the employees as well as the employers contribute 8.33 per cent each, but government's share is not on par. Hence, the BJP will demand 8.33 per cent contribution from the government, which will help the workers get pension in the range of Rs 3,000 against the present Rs 1,500," he said.

He claimed that around 5.50 crore workers in India will be benefitted through the move and the financial burden on the state exchequer will not exceed Rs 7,000 crore, he said.