MUMBAI, Aug 4: True to his promise given to anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi will present the much awaited white paper on corruption to the Cabinet tomorrow.

Joshi had earlier declared that he will present the paper in both the Houses of the State Legislature during the monsoon session itself. However, as the session was curtailed by three days following an agitation launched by the Opposition parties, he was unable to present the document.

In fact, in their election manifesto, the Shiv Sena and BJP had declared that the alliance will come out with a white paper on corruption if it was voted to power. The then leader of Opposition, Gopinath Munde, had even undertaken a State-wide tour against corruptionparticularly against leading politicians indulging in corrupt practices. However, the process was delayed for political reason.When social worker Anna Hazare launched an indefinite agitation against the then Ministers Shashikant Sutar and Mahadev Shivankar, Joshi not only announced that a white paper on corruption will be presented at the earliest, but also appointed Justice S W Puranik to probe into the charges against the two ministers.

In his report, Justice Puranik held Sutar guilty while acquitting Shivankar. Subsequently, Justice M L Dudhat, was appointed under the Commission of Inquiry Act to probe the charges against Sutar.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.