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Indian PM Vows 'Serious' Action Against Corruption

   Kurt Achin | New Delhi  February 16, 2011
   In  this  Tuesday,  Feb.  1,  2011  file  photo, Indian Prime Minister
   Manmohan  Singh  gestures  during  a  conference of chief ministers of
   Indian states on internal security, in New Delhi, India.

Photo: AP

   In this, Feb. 1, 2011 file photo, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
   gestures during a conference on internal security, New Delhi, India.

   Indian  Prime  Minister  Manmohan Singh is making a public outreach to
   get his countryâs parliament moving again after months of gridlock.

   In  a  nationally  televised  news conference, he vowed action against
   corruption  and  urged media organizations to steer away from coverage
   that lowers the nationâs self-image.
   The  prime  minister  chastised  senior television journalists, mainly
   from  domestic  organizations,  Wednesday,  suggesting sensationalized
   coverage of scandals has lowered the nationâs self-esteem.
   "An  impression has gone around that we are a scam-driven country," he
   said.   "In   the   process,   willy-nilly..   we  are  weakening  the
   self-confidence of the people of India."
   Mr.  Singhâs  Congress  party  has faced withering public criticism in
   recent  months  for  allegedly  being  lax  on  widespread corruption,
   particularly  in connection with the sale of 2G mobile phone frequency
   licenses more than two years ago.
   The  Indian parliament has been deadlocked for months, with opposition
   parties  demanding  a  joint  probe by lawmakers into the 2G issue and
   other  alleged mishandling of public funds. The stalemate may impede a
   budget session scheduled for next week.
   Mr.  Singh told chief editors of Indiaâs main TV networks, he would be
   willing  to  appear before any committee and vowed his government will
   not tolerate corruption at any level.
   "Our  government  is  dead  serious  about  bringing  to  book all the
   wrong-doers,  regardless  of their position... if there is corruption,
   whether it is in the judiciary, or in the executive, or other walks of
   life, we must get rid of that," he said.
   Mr.  Singh promised a reshuffle of his cabinet within a few months. He
   said  the  government  deserves  credit for improving Indiaâs security
   situation, and promised impressive economic numbers next month.
   "We  will have a growth rate of 8.5% this fiscal year... the inflation
   rate should come down to no more than seven percent."
   Separately, the prime minister expressed his support for pro-democracy
   activists in Egypt.
   "They  have  our good wishes," he said. "Though it is not our business
   to   advise   other  countries,  we  welcome  the  dawn  of  democracy
   everywhere."
   At  the  same  time, the he ruled out the likelihood of a similar mass
   movement in his own country.
   "India  is  a  functioning  democracy.  People already have a right to
   change  government. We have a free press... and therefore, there is no
   question  that  things  that  have  happened in Egypt or in other Arab
   countries can be replicated in India."
   Prime  Minister  Singh, now 78 years old, dismissed speculation he may
   step  aside before his government expires in 2014, saying he has a job
   to do and plans to stay the course.

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