Bahuguna replies to Modi: Lokayukta is 8216;Kejriwal8217;s Bill8217;

The Bill passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly during the tenure of BJP CM B C Khanduri was 'Kejriwal's Bill'

A day after Narendra Modi questioned the Congress and Rahul Gandhi for working on getting the Lokpal Bill passed while the Congress government in Uttarakhand had stalled the Lokayukta Act brought in by the previous BJP government,Uttarakhand CM Vijay Bahuguna said his government would adopt the centres Lokapal Bill for the state-level ombudsman as well.

Bringing into the discourse social activist Anna Hazare and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwals differences over the Bill,Bahuguna said while the Lokpal Bill in its present form has been endorsed by Hazare,the Bill passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly during the tenure of BJP CM B C Khanduri was Kejriwals Bill,The Uttarakhand Bill,2011 is Kejriwals Bill. My government would adopt the centres Lokpal Bill,which has support of Anna Hazare, Bahuguna told The Indian Express. Later,he held a press conference and reacted to allegations made by Modi. The Bill got the Presidents assent in September and was supposed to be implemented within six months.

Bahuguna said,If he Modi loves Lokayukta Bill passed by the state during the tenure of the Khanduri government,he should implement it in his own state Gujarat.

He said the Lokayukta Act was based on the suggestions of AAP leaders Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan.

Reacting to Modis allegations of targeting Yoga guru Ramdev,Bahuguna alleged double standards in fighting corruption and said the Haridwar DM had sent notices to Baba Ramdevs Trust,following revenue laws. The charges are regarding purchase of Benami land and illegal possession of Gram Samaj land. Ramdev is supposed to reply, he added.

He said a PM candidate of a political party should not make such statements.

Reacting to Modis allegations of stalling power projects,Bahuguna said local BJP leaders had not briefed Modi properly on hydro-power projects in Uttarakhand. Several hydro-power projects were stopped by the previous BJP government in the state, he said.

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On Modi blaming the centre and state governments for not allowing him to meet flood-hit people in Uttarakhand after the Mid-June disaster,he said Modis visit then had come when rescue operations were at their peak.