Mayawati says BSP will oppose Lokpal Bill in present form

Lucknow, Dec 13 (ANI): Amidst the ongoing war of words with Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday hit out at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, saying the ruling party at the Centre does not want to bring a strong Lokpal Bill in the country.

"Congress does not want a strong Lokpal Bill as if it is formed, it will be most adversely affect the party. Our party is going to oppose the Bill in its present form," Mayawati told the media here.

Mayawati said the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would raise the issue of bringing the Prime Minister and Group C officials under the ambit of Lokpal during the all-party meting to be held tomorrow.

"In tomorrow's all-party meeting, BSP's stand will be that Prime Minister, Group C should come under the ambit of Lokpal. The CBI should be under Lokpal, so that its misuse can be stopped," she said.

Issuing a stern warning to the Centre, Mayawati said her party would not accept the anti-graft Bill in its present form.

"We will be making this clear in the all-party meeting tomorrow, BSP will not support the Bill in its current form," she added.

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare had observed a token daylong protest fast at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday to pressurise the government for passing a strong Lokpal Bill in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.Seventy four-year-old Hazare had invited leaders from all major political parties to come and speak on the issue.

The Lokpal Bill is seen as a weapon to root out corruption and nepotism from the government machinery and in public life.The proposed Bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India.

Further maintaining that the BSP Government has taken strong steps to combat corruption and control crime in Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati said: "We have taken strong steps to curb corruption and crime in the state. Stern action has been taken against party members found guilty. The BSP Government has taken action after Lokayukta's reports, unlike Congress and the BJP Governments, which threw those reports in the dustbin." (ANI)