Gujral appeals to CMs to set up graft courts

NEW DELHI, June 1: Prime Minister I K Gujral has written to all state Chief Ministers asking them to set up special courts to try cases if corruption, bribery and graft. He has said his government would never meddle in cases of political corruption and would leave it to the courts to decide through fair trials.“Corruption has entered the roots of the social, political and economic system of the country and should be firmly dealt with,” Gujral wrote, pointing out that, “rampant corruption in different walks of life was undermining the faith and confidence of people in democarcy and administration”.Gujral said that special courts should be set up as formal courts take a lot of time in deciding such cases. Unless corruption cases were decided speedily, the people would treat the whole exercise of trying the guilty as an eye-wash.The PM also pointed out that corruption and climate of bribery were adversely affecting economic liberalisation and national development. “Development and corruption cannot go hand in hand,” he said.