Despite the fact that former BJP president Bangaru Laxman was seen accepting money from two undercover correspondents on camera, BJP Member of Parliament from Delhi's Chandni Chowk constituency Vijay Goel continues to protest against the negative projection of politicians by the media.

In an interview with Special Correspondent Onkar Singh, he maintains that politicians are more 'honest' than bureaucrats. Excerpts:

You have taken exception to some advertisements appearing on Aaj Tak showing politicians as being corrupt. Why?

What I am protesting against is not merely advertisements but the image of politicians, which has been tarnished because of these advertisements. In films, newspapers and television -- politicians and policemen are painted as villains.

If politicians are not corrupt, then according to you who is corrupt?

I have said this on the floor of the House and I will say this again that the cause of corruption are the bureaucrats. I had said in the House that while there are only 10 per cent politicians who are corrupt, 90 per cent of bureaucrats are corrupt.

On what basis are you making this claim?

I am making this statement on the basis of personal experience. On the basis of news reports. Recently the CBI raided the offices and residences of two sales tax officers and the money recovered from there ran into several crores. Last year, an officer of the MCD [Municipal Corporation of Delhi] was raided and the seizure was mind-boggling.

Aaj Ki Baat, a news-based programme hosted by Rajat Sharma, did a survey in which people were asked who was more corrupt -- politicians or bureaucrats. More than 56 per cent said bureaucrats were more corrupt. However, it is the image of the politician that is being hit badly.

But why show your ire against advertisements on a news channel?

I can understand if you show an advertisement once or twice, but these advertisements show politicians in a poor light all the time. There is an ad that shows a lady telling the prime minister that if she is not given the railways portfolio then she will pull down the government. And she is given whatever she wants. You are thus directly attacking our elected leaders!

Are you angry because the ad attacks the office of prime minister?

No, it was directly attacking Mamata Banerjee. There is nothing against the office of prime minister. Likewise, Movers & Shakers, the programme anchored by Shekhar Suman, shows him cracking jokes about politicians on a regular basis. He has been bringing politicians into disrepute. Nobody in this country is ready to understand the problems of a politician.

What are the problems? Would you elaborate?

How many people know that more than 20 per cent parliamentarians do not have vehicles to move around in Delhi and their constituencies? Some of them use the bus meant to transport parliamentarians to Parliament and back. That is why we have to continue our business activities, otherwise we would not be able to spend money and maintain our status.

When the electricity fails in a particular area, people come to the elected representatives and do not go to the house of the chairman of the Delhi Vidyut Board. Likewise, unemployed youth come to us for jobs etc. We try to help them as much as we can, but the media does not highlight this aspect.

But you also have people like Laloo Yadav and Sukh Ram, Jayalalitha and others, who are being prosecuted for corruption. So how can you say that politicians are not corrupt? Even BJP ex-president Bangaru Laxman was caught on video camera taking a bribe.

Can you name 15 corrupt politicians in the entire country? [Goel, of course, forgets the names of the politicians who are facing prosecution by the CBI on charges of corruption.] But if you raid the houses of junior engineer upwards, you will recover crores of rupees in one raid only.

Two major power projects in Delhi have not taken off as yet because the bureaucrats have not been paid money. This country is being run by more than 3,000 IAS officers, but till date nobody has questioned why the country is going to the dogs when they have a class one record.

Have you ever asked this question? I have a remedy. The government should encourage only honest officers and discourage dishonest officers.

When we go to the polls, the people do not vote for the candidate who according to them has not delivered or is perceived to be corrupt. On the other hand, bureaucrats keep getting their salary and enjoy power and perks.

Do you still say that politicians are not corrupt when Bangaru Laxman has been shown accepting money?

Tapes or no tapes, I believe politicians are more honest than bureaucrats. Bangaru Laxman was forced to resign because the party wants to set an example. He did not take any bribe. He accepted money for the party funds. He admitted he was wrong and that is why he resigned.

Did Rajiv Gandhi resign when the Bofors case came up and it was alleged that he took money in the gun deal?

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