Lokpal Bill gets majority support in Rajya Sabha,SP stages walkout

The bill is all set for passage as most of the parties,including main opposition BJP,BSP and Left,expressed their support to the measure.

Samajwadi Party staged a walkout as soon as the discussion began,with its leader Ram Gopal Yadav saying his party could not support the measure.

Time to celebrate consensus: Sibal

Initiating the discussion on the Bill,Law Minister Kapil Sibal said it was a “historic” day and it was time to celebrate the consensus that had been reached on the issue.

Sibal sought to allay any apprehension over the new measure,saying there will be no element of government interference in investigation that would be carried out against corruption under the Lokpal.

“I don’t think it is time to laugh or snigger… it is time for us to rise to the occasion,” said Sibal,who was batting for the bill in place of Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy who could not attend the proceedings because of his wife’s illness.

Scope for improvement in Bill: Jaitley

Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley,while supporting the Bill,said he was happy that the government had accepted all the changes in “this changed environment”.

He did not elaborate but was apparently referring to the drubbing Congress faced in the just-held assembly elections in Delhi at the hands of Aam Aadmi Party,whose main plank was the Lokpal issue.

Holding that there is a lot of scope for improvement in the present Lokpal Bill,Jaitley objected to the provision of religious-based appointments in Lokpal,saying such kind of reservations were not permitted by the Constitution.

“This bill to that extent suffers from a Constitutional vice. There is no scope in our Constitution for religion-based reservation in appointment of Lokpal,” he said,adding,”My party will fully support this Bill.”

He said whatever happened on December 29,2011,should not be repeated and the anti-corruption law should be passed to restore credibility in politics,which has seen a drop in the recent past. “Let’s accept it and improve upon it. If we do so,we will try and restore the credibility of politics,” he said.

Sibal was referring to failure to pass the Bill on December 29,2011 on technical grounds when the discussion continued till midnight and the Chairman adjourned the House sine die.

BJP appeals for bringing credible law

Taking a dig at Congress for its recent electoral defeat in assembly elections,he said,”In this changed environment,government’s thinking has changed and it has understood the merits of the discussion on December 29. What discussion was continuing for last 46 years,we should accomplish that and pass a law. We should remove the shortcomings and bring a credible and workable law before the nation,” he said.

Commenting on Samajwadi Party’s boycott of proceedings in the House today during discussion on Lokpal Bill,Jaitley said,”To say that the process of decision-making will stop by bringing this law is not right. After this law,the process of decision making will improve and people will fear from taking decisions for wrongful reasons.”

The Leader of the Opposition expressed satisfaction at the government accepting the Select Committee recommendation that all organisations accepting private donations should not be brought under the Lokpal as it will overburden it.

Jaitley asked the government to state that accused public servants should not be informed and given opportunity to present their case at the time of raids and searches against them so that the element of surprise is there.

SP laments govt did not intimate party

Satish Chandra Misra (BSP),while supporting the Lokpal legislation,lamented that the government did not intimate his party about the all-party meeting on it yesterday and he got a message through media that SP and BSP were boycotting the important legislation.

“This sent a very wrong message among the masses and I will like to ask Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath as to why our party was not informed and why it was not clarified to the media that we have not be invited,” Misra rued.

Nath promptly replied that the information reached late to him as well as Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) due to delay by Rajya Sabha Secretariat.

Misra said BSP has been supporting the legislation since beginning and government should ensure adequate reservation of SC/ST communities in the Lokpal.

He lauded the role of Select Committee Chairman Satyavrat Chaturvedi in strengthening the provisions of the Bill.

At the same time,he drew the attention of the governmenta towards death of children in Muzaffarnagar relief camps in UP saying more than 60 children have died so far.

‘Keeping private players away from Lokpal not wise’

Supporting the legislation,Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M) demanded that the government should consider bringing private players such as corporates under its purview besides charitable organisations along with foreign NGOs.

He said corporates entering into partnership for execution of projects under PPP mode cannot be left out if found involved in irregularities to secure the contract.

Arguing that private players are a major source of supply of money,he said it would not be “wise” to keep them away from the purview of the legislation.

He referred to dropping of charitable organisations from the purview of Lokpal,and wanted it to be included in the ombudsman.

Ram Gopal Yadav (SP),whose party walked out of Rajya Sabha opposing the Bill,said he cannot support the legislation as it is not in the interest of the nation.

Supporting the Bill,Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC),however,sought to know the rationale behind keeping out elected representatives from becoming the chairman or members of Lokpal.

“Such a discrimination is a stigma on the elected representatives,” he said,demanding amendment to the clause.

He sought to know why only retired Chief Justice of India or former Supreme Court judges should head the Lokpal as their integrity has also come under criticism in recent times.

He opposed the suggestion that states should set up Lokayutka on the Lokpal model within a year.

Welcoming the legislation,Shivanand Tiwari (JD-U) said the Bihar government had enacted a legislation which led to freezing of assets of officials charged with corruption.

Extending support to the Bill,V Maitreyan (AIADMK) suggested that Prime Minister as well as chief ministers should be kept out of purview of Lokpal.

He said if his government in Tamil Nadu considered passing the legislation for establishment of Lokayukta,then the Chief Minister would be kept out of its purview.