"After the recent revelations by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, the Prime Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are answerable to the nation... We are going to intensify our agitation against the government on corruption," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters after a meeting of the BJP Core Group.
The party top brass discussed the strategy for taking on the government on several corruption cases that have come to light. The Income Tax Tribunal decision, which found Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrochi and AE Services owner Win Chaddha guilty of receiving kickbacks and evading taxes on them, has come as a shot in the arm for the BJP.
"At our national executive meet at Guwahati, we are going to pass a special resolution against corruption in the UPA-II government," Jaitley said.
In a reference to Quattrochi, Jaitley said the ITAT decision had revealed that those close to the top Congress leadership had received kickbacks and it could not wash its hands of this "taint".
"If the Congress leadership had no relationship with those who received kickbacks in Bofors, it would have welcomed the decision... If the Congress has any honesty, it should welcome this decision as it collects more revenue for the government of India," Jaitley said.
The BJP Core Group also decided to strengthen its campaign against corruption and hold its planned rallies on the issue in different state capitals more effectively.
Jaitley alleged that the government attitude had not changed despite revelations of so many scams and it was indulging in a cover-up in the Bofors case.