Morena (Madhya Pradesh): Making a frontal attack on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the corruption issue, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today (Nov 25) accused him of "rewarding corrupt Union Ministers" instead of punishing them and alleged that bribery and brokerage had become the order of the day under Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rule.

"Ignoring evidences against corrupt Ministers, the Prime Minister is leaving them unpunished. On the other hand, those facing corruption charges are being protected and rewarded with new responsibilities," she alleged addressing a party election rally in Morena.

Hitting out at BJP, Gandhi said the party had promised to eliminate fear, hunger and corruption before Vajpayee Government came to power at the Centre, and alleged that corruption has assumed alarming proportions under his regime.

"Bribery is going on unchecked, while half-a-dozen Union Ministers are looting public sector undertakings," she alleged and said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government has failed to increase employment avenues as promised.

Asking people to defeat the proponents of communalism, she charged the BJP and its allied organisations with weakening the country's unity and integrity.

In Madhya Pradesh too these forces have been trying to destroy communal harmony, but the vigilant Congress Government in the State headed by Digvijay Singh has not allowed them to succeed, she said.

PTI