Advani says in blog that Hazare, Baba Ramdev are natural recipients of public acclaim

New Delhi, Apr.12 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L K Advani has said in his blog that both Baba Ramdev and Anna Hazare are widely perceived as upright persons who have no personal axe to grind, and added that by taking up a campaign against corruption, they have become "natural recipients of public acclaim."

Advani also disapproved of those who revel in spreading a climate of disdain about politics and politicians, which he said was a gross disservice to democracy.

He said Hazare has fast achieved more in four days than what the opposition had in two months when it was demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2G scam.

Advani gave credit to television and information technology for what Hazare had achieved in such a short time.

Advani also criticised leaders of the Congress party for calling Hazare an "RSS agent" and praised the social activist's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in which he said: "Kindly stop finding faults and suspecting conspiracies in our movement. Even if there were, it does not absolve you of your responsibility to stop corruption."

In his blog, Advani describes the UPA regime as having the "singular reputation" of being the most corrupt government in independent India.

He also praises Hazare for apologising to former BJP leader Uma Bharti after she asked to leave the Jantar Mantar area to meet Hazare during the agitation.

"It is an index of Anna's innate decency and his disinclination to believe that all politicians are corrupt that when he learnt about this he publicly apologized to Uma. I am of the view that those who revel in spreading a general climate of disdain about politics and politicians are doing a gross disservice to democracy," Advani said.

Advani maintains that despite the shortcomings of Indian democracy, there are still "conscientious and upright politicians" in the country.

"In my political life of over six decades, I personally have worked with Deendayal Upadhyaya, Jaya Prakash Narain, A.B. Vajpayee, and Nanaji Deshmukh who are role-models not only for those in politics, but for all Indians irrespective of their avocation," he says.

Talking about yoga guru Baba Ramdev, Advani says: "When I first met Baba Ramdev at the Kumbh Mela at Haridwar, I kept thinking how his excellent grasp of the contribution that Yogasanas can make towards the health of a common citizen irrespective of his or her age, combined with the impact of television, had made him a rare phenomenon."

He further adds: "In these last six decades there have been many other masters of the science of yoga - some of them perhaps equipped with even greater expertise than Baba Ramdev, but if none could achieve the status of an icon as Ramdevji has achieved, it is only because in this latter case it is oriental wisdom being blended with western technology that has worked wonders."

He also confirms receiving a call from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee with regard to the developments related to the Lokpal Bill.

He says that he has told Mukherjee that the Lok pal should be passed in the Monsoon session of Parliament.

"Every one is keen that there be no delay in tackling corruption. In fact, Government should be conscious that the dimensions of corruption have become so frightening that the assault on this malady has to be multi-pronged," Advani says.

He further adds: "A meeting of political parties should be convened to discuss this issue particularly in the context of black money and curbing money-power in elections." (ANI)