Government to blame for environment of negativism: Jaitley

New Delhi: Attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over his comments on "environment of negativism", Bharatiya Janata Party leader Arun Jaitley said the government was to be blamed for the situation.

"Yes, the prime minister is right when he says that there is an environment of cynicism or negativism. The poison which perpetuates this negativism therefore must be expunged from the system. That alone will create a positive environment," Jaitley, the leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha, said in a statement in New Delhi.

"Banish corruption, investigate corruption cases honestly and punish the corrupt - that will create a more positive environment. If you put a lid on cases of corruption, the cynicism in negativism will grow. Popular anger has emerged because of lack of accountability. Probity and accountability alone will eliminate this 'negativism'," he said.

The Prime Minister had on Wednesday said that the \"mindless atmosphere of negativity and pessimism that is sought to be created over the issue of corruption can do us no good\".

The Prime Minister had on Wednesday said that the "mindless atmosphere of negativity and pessimism that is sought to be created over the issue of corruption can do us no good".

"It can only damage the nation's image and hit the morale of the executive".

Jaitley also criticised Congress' defense of party chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra.

"The manner in which senior ministers of the government have jumped to defend the indefensible commercial transactions of a member of the Congress Party's first family indicates that the current controversy is being utilized to display loyalty rather than to enforce probity," he claimed.

Jaitley said though politically connected people cannot be debarred from business, there was a need to see if their activities are "bonafide business transactions or favours".

"Politically connected people cannot be debarred from business. However, the kind of entrepreneurship displayed in this case where windfall gains are monumental and investment is miniscule... There obviously is a lot more than what meets the eye. The possibility of windfall gains emanating from a 'political equity' investment intended to reap 'political dividends' cannot be obviated," he said.

BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad meanwhile said that the prime minister was speaking at a conference of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), but said nothing about the role of CBI in fight against corruption.

"There is a sense of frustration among people, and now they have an objection to this as well."

"This negativism is a gross product of your inaction," he said.

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