The lokpal Bill has finally seen the light of day with the lok Sabha on Wednesday adopting amendments made by the Rajya Sabha to the proposal legislation. The lok Sabha had passed the Bill in December 2011 and the Rajya Sabha had on Tuesday made certain amendments to it.
The Bill would lead to establishment of an anti-corruption watchdog which will have in its purview even the office of the Prime Minister. The amended Bill was passed in a din created by Andhra Pradesh MPs and amid walkout by the Samajwadi Party, the Biju Janata Dal and the Shiv Sena. Interestingly, the Government decided to adjourn the lok Sabha sine die after passage of the Bill. In the process, it ignored Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who had said in the afternoon that the session of Parliament should be extended to pass six other anti-corruption Bills that are pending.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi hailed the passage of lokpal Bill as a “historic and landmark” step to fight corruption. Soon after Parliament approved the Bill, Singh said, “It is a historic and landmark legislation and we are very happy that Parliament in its wisdom has chosen to enact this legislation.” Sonia Gandhi said she was “very happy” about the passage of the Bill.
Earlier, leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj supported the legislation but took potshots at the Congress for clamouring to take credit for its passage. “People of this country and the old man (Anna Hazare) who has undertaken fast several times deserve the credit,” Swaraj said. The BJP leader said her party had opposed the earlier lokpal Bill as it was a weak legislation but she was happy that the Rajya Sabha — where the Opposition is in majority — had amended it suitably.
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said though his party is supporting the measure, the Bill would paralyse the entire system. “After this Bill, whatever work is happening will not happen.
Officers will stop functioning. This body will have the office of PM under its purview. What sort of a decision are we taking,” Yadav said. law Minister Kapil Sibal said discussion on the measure has taken place over the past two years both inside and outside the House. The lok Sabha had passed it in December 2011 and urged the House to adopt the Bill returned by the Rajya Sabha along with the amendments.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav also said this will bring Government work to a halt as Government servants will be afraid of carrying out their duties. “It will create a fear psychosis among the bureaucracy and no official will take a decision or sign a document,” Yadav said, adding that as per the law, a low level policeman will be empowered to question and investigate senior politicians and public officials.
Dara Singh Chouhan (BSP) said there is a clamour for taking credit for this Bill and “this is also a kind of corruption”. He noted that any policy, however good, is futile if those implementing it do not have good intentions.
Throughout the debate on the lokpal Bill, supporters and opponents of Telangana continued raising slogans in the Well. YSR Congress chief Jaganmohan Reddy led his party members in the Well while TDP and Congress members, from Telangana and Seemandhra regions, continued shouting in support of their respective demands. SK Bwiswmuthiary (Bodoland Peoples Front) was also in the Well protesting attacks on tribals in Assam.