Rejecting the lokpal Bill under consideration in Rajya Sabha as “weak” and ineffective, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said it was weak and will not prevent corruption, but work instead to “protect the corrupt”. “This lokpal Bill does not provide for formation of lokayuktas, there is no provision for whistle-blower protection, and it is not free of the Government. What is the point of passing this lokpal BillIJ It will not stop corruption at all,”said Kejriwal adding it would only “protect the corrupt”.
Kejriwal further alleged that Congress will be benefited by its passage while Rahul Gandhi will get the credit for it. According to Kejriwal, the movement against corruption will continue. “Our party members would go to several parts of the country and wake up the nation against corruption,” he said. Another party member, Gopal Rai has called off his fast which he started following anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s fast to press the Government for immediate passage of the Jan lokpal Bill in Parliament. Kejriwal offered him lemon water.
Kejriwal also appealed Anna to call off the strike, saying he (Anna) was under the influence of some Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party men. “I am very upset as he changed his stand. I will make him understand when we meet,” Kejriwal added. He stated he was saddened by Anna Hazare’s stand that he would break his fast if the lokpal Bill which is in the Upper House is enacted, warning that the proposed legislation will not prevent corruption but instead work to “protect the corrupt”.
“I can assure you that there would not be a single conviction with this lokpal in next 10 years. I pondered over who will gain from this lokpal Bill. I found that Congress would gain and its Vice President Rahul Gandhi will get some credit for its passage,” Kejriwal said. He claimed that until Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was made independent, which has not been done in this Bill, there would not be a single conviction in corruption cases.
“In the past 50 years of CBI, there are only four convictions of political leaders by the agency. This is due to the fact that they report to their same political bosses against whom they probe a case. “Had CBI been independent, then there was a possibility that even the Prime Minister might have been jailed in either 2G spectrum case or coal scam,” the AAP leader told reporters.
The party termed the lokpal Bill as “weak” and said it will not prevent corruption but instead work to “protect the corrupt”. Criticising the Bill in present form, Kejriwal said the Bill which was passed on August 11, 2011 had the provision of independent investigating machinery for the lokpal. “But today, how can we accept this weak lokpal. We will continue with our agitation for Jan lokpal and make the people aware that Parliament has failed to keep its three assurances made to Hazare to break his fast,” he said.