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For the tenth time since 1968, the Lokpal Bill was introduced in Parliament on Thursday, with many parties accusing the UPA Government of “Parliamentary mismanagement” and bringing it in under “duress”.
The 64-page Bill includes minorities and other sections in the nine-member Lokpal via a corrigendum attached to to the earlier draft.
Social activist Mr Anna Hazare termed it ‘weak' and dared Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi to a public debate. On Wednesday, Ms Gandhi had declared she would fight for the Bill.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, introduced along with a Constitutional (116th Amendment) Bill, seeks to create an anti-corruption ombudsman with Constitutional status, as suggested by Congress General Secretary Mr Rahul Gandhi, in his intervention in the House debate in August.
Today, Leader of the Opposition Ms Sushma Swaraj said the Bill violated “federal principles as well”, as it amounted to dictating to States to establish Lokayuktas.
CPI leader Mr Gurudas Dasgupta and RJD chief Mr Lalu Prasad accused the Government of bringing the Bill fearing another agitation by Mr Hazare. “The Government is trying to sacrifice Parliamentary supremacy under duress,” said Mr Dasgupta. BJP, Shiv Sena, and AIADMK wanted the Bill revised.
Finance Minister Mr Pranab Mukherjee said there was no ‘haste' as the issue was being for the past eight months.
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