Union Minister Maneka Gandhi cited Sonia Gandhi's example for an anti-corruption measure
Highlights
- Sonia Gandhi cited as example while suggesting way of fighting corruption
- Take out ads to fight corrupt babus asking for bribes, Maneka Gandhi said
- She cited how Sonia Gandhi used ads to deal with a man misusing her name
Union Minister Maneka Gandhi has cited the example of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her estranged sister-in-law, while suggesting a way of fighting corruption in her constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
The rare praise came at a vigilance meeting the minister held with officials in her constituency Pilibhit on Sunday.
The officials were complaining about corrupt "babus" taking bribe to grant recognition to schools and how they did not have the power to act against them.
"Take out ads then," Mrs Gandhi said, and went on to explain how Sonia Gandhi used ads to deal with a man who was misusing her name.
"Once a relative of Sonia Gandhi opened a shop and started telling people that he was related to her. Sonia Gandhi took out a newspaper ad saying people should not go to this person. You also take out an ad saying whoever wants recognition, should come straight to you. Put up a notice outside your office. We will order a vigilance inquiry against the babus, also we can have CCTV cameras."
Sonia Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi, who were married to Indira Gandhi's sons Rajiv Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi, have had frosty ties for years and represent two ends of the political spectrum.
Maneka Gandhi fell out with Indira Gandhi soon after her husband Sanjay's death in 1980 and, over the years, firmly disassociated herself from Congress politics. In 2004, she and her son Varun joined Congress' rival party, the BJP.