New Delhi, Dec 29 (ANI): Calling the Centre's Lokpal Bill a 'weak and ineffective' legislation, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday urged the Government to amend contentious issues in the anti-graft bill.
"We want an effective Ombudsman. We feel that the Bill in the present form as passed by the Lok Sabha has many shortcomings. We only hope and wish the government will show a large heart by making the CBI autonomous, not violating the rights of the state-federal principle and the most important, a real effective instrument also to the Lokpal," Prasad told the media here.
Meanwhile, BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi lashed out at the government for its perceived hesitancy and failure in tackling the menace of corruption.
"They first propose the issues of foreign direct investment and Ombudsman Bill and then dispose them by bringing up reservations. So, it is clear that the sole motive of the government is to ensure that a strong and effective Lokpal Bill is never formulated and passed," Naqvi said.
"They want to create a weak Lokpal, which will not address the concerns of the people. The BJP feels that an Ombudsman must have powers to take on the wave of graft scandals and punish the corrupt. The present Lokpal Bill does not provide such powers," he added.
The Lokapal Bill is an ambitious legislation that envisages the creation of an all-powerful body to bring corrupt politicians, bureaucrats and judges to book, and is widely viewed as a one-shot solution to the endemic graft that prevails in India's civil and democratic institutions.
The Lokpal Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday to create an anti-corruption body. However, it failed to give it a Constitutional status.
The Constitution (116th Amendment) Bill was defeated by a determined Opposition, helped by the absence of parties supporting the government from outside like SP, BSP and RJD.
A Constitution Amendment Bill to be passed should have more than 50 per cent of the members of the House present and of them, two-third support is mandatory. (ANI)
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