Is the Jan Lokpal Bill a holy cow?

Digvijaya Singh's Blog | 2011 Oct 12

The Jan Lokpal Bill has become a Holy Cow. If you don't support the Jan Lokpal Bill you are supporting corruption. There is no room for argument or look into constructive suggestion.

Lokpal Bill was passed in 1969 by Lok Sabha under Mrs Indira Gandhi but couldn't be passed in Rajya Sabha. It was introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2008 and finally now in 2011.

 

Why it couldn't be passed needs no explanation! Most of the states have their own Lok Ayukt and most of them have chief ministers within the ambit of Lok Ayukt. I as a chief minister had no problem functioning within the ambit of Lok Ayukt.

 

National Advisory Council under Sonia Gandhi had given the task to Aruna Roy and Harsh Mandar, two of the most respected members of the Civil Society for drafting an effective Lokpal Bill. In the mean time Anna's team got into the act and came out with their own draft which has been redrafted many times over by themselves. Is it a coincidence that all the members of Anna's team have been closer to those who are opposed to Congress?

 

Let us now go into the merits of Lokpal Bill introduced by Government, Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by Anna's team , Lok Pal Bill proposed by NAC and Foundation for Democratic Reform headed by Jayprakash Narayan an ex-bureaucrat.

 

The comparative chart is enclosed.

 

UPA 2 has been more than accommodative to the demands of Anna. They first agreed to have a joint drafting committee which was unprecedented. Most of their demands were incorporated in the official draft. Major difference of opinion was on the following issues:

 

• Whether PM and Judiciary should be included or not?
• Whether all 5 million GOI employees should be included or not?
• Whether Lokpal should have the power to intercept phones emails etc or not?
• Whether those who have the Constitutional guarantee can be directly prosecuted by Lokpal without amending the Constitution?
• Whether MPs conduct in the Parliament should be brought with in the preview of Lokpal or not?
• Whether CVC and CBI be brought under the guidance and control of Lokpal?
• Can Lokpal have the authority to receive complaints, investigate and then also adjudicate them?
• Whether the whistle blower be brought under this Bill or should we have another Bill which is already been introduced in Parliament?
• Whether recommendation of Search Committee appointed by the Selection Committee be binding on Selection Committee or not?
• Whether the bribe giver should be given immunity as proposed by Anna's team?

Can a person not accountable to the people in a democracy be given such an authority as proposed by Anna's team is the issue.

I don’t know how many of those who are wearing Anna's "Main Hun Anna" cap have actually seen the different drafts and have analyzed the merits and de merits of each draft ? Drafting a law is highly technical and has to be done by experts in the Government who have been trained and have the experience in drafting law rules and regulations.

In August the government again agreed to incorporate the three issues suggested by Anna then why is Anna again going back to his earlier demand of Jan Lokpal Bill in totality or else he goes on a fast again ?

Now Anna has also decided to campaign for all those who declare support for his Jan Lokpal Bill irrespective of their earlier track record of corruption . Bye election in Hissar is a pointer. He is most welcome to do so and why shouldn't he float his own Party?

People in Indore were highly amused when they saw one minister and a MLA known for their shady land deals wearing "Main Anna Hun" caps. Would such people enhance Anna's credibility to fight corruption?

In spite of the fact that UPA and PM have gone over board to accommodate Anna's demand, Anna and his team want to defeat Congress proves what I have been saying from day one – The issue is not corruption but to destabilize the present Government and defeat Congress.

Any way once again Vilas Rao Deshmukh shall have a task which he has been performing first as a CM Maharashtra and now as Minister in GOI!