New Delhi, Dec 27 (ANI): Charging the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre of not acting against corruption, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) chief Sharad Yadav on Tuesday said it is an illusion that the Lokpal Bill will end all corruption.
Participating in the Lokpal Bill debate in Lok Sabha today, Yadav said: " The UPA has not acted against corruption. It is an illusion that the Lokpal Bill will end all corruption."
Claiming that the Lokpal Bill in its present form would increase the number of court cases, Yadav asked the government to bring a new strong Lokpal Bill and free the CBI.
"Country is sick with a disease called 'bhrashtachar' (corruption) Repeatedly, there are references to the fact that for 40 years, Lokpal Bill has not been introduced. VP Singh, Indira Gandhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee (all former Prime Ministers) could not bring it. We have brought it in Bihar," said Yadav.
"We spoke to the people leading the agitation (Team Anna). We consulted other parties. You think the country won't understand how you are trying to trick it with regard to imposing the law upon states? People are angry at inflation, poverty and corruption. Politicians and bureaucrats are being blamed for corruption. They are also responsible for progress. Development has not reached villages. But whatever progress has been made, they must get credit for that too," he added.
Taking on Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal for his criticism of the BJP in the Lok Sabha, Sharad Yadav said that the government should improve the Lokpal Bill rather than saying that the Supreme Court will decide.
"Does Sibal (Kapil Sibal) think that people will not understand his game?" he questioned.
Members of Parliament from the opposition parties interrupted Kapil Sibal earlier in the day when he was responding to the objections raised by Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj on the Lokpal Bill.
"If the Bill is passed, it will be a historical moment, but if it is delayed, people won't forgive the ones interrupting," said Sibal.
Asserting that Lokpal Bill has a lot of flaws, Leader of Opposition, Sushma Swaraj, earlier said it seems that the government has introduced the Bill in anger.
Emphasising that the Bill is meant to provide an enabling framework, Swaraj said the government now says we make it mandatory because states like Gujarat have failed to create effective Lokayuktas.
"You (government) are contradicting yourself. So why don't you first decide what you want? Is it mandatory or optional? 18 states have Lokayuktas. Many of them have better Bills than the ones you have brought. Like Uttarakhand. Your Bill will over-ride those. Better ones like the Bill that Karnataka passed long ago," she added.
Stating that BJP has strong objections on the reservation provisions in the Bill, Swaraj said: "There are nine members in Lokpal with the chairman. If you say not less than 50 percent reservation then it means it can go up to any percentage. This is against the recommendation of the Standing Committee. It says such reservations cannot and ought not be provided."
Slamming the minority quota in Lokpal Bill, Swaraj said: "It is a pride of India that three to four Presidents of India were from minority community of the 11 Presidents who assumed the position so far and that occurred without any reservation."
"Even the Prime Minister of India is from the minority community. All top judges of Supreme Court were from minority community. This is India's pride," she added. (ANI)
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