NEW DELHI: BJP seems to have taken a cue from the Delhi Assembly elections. Without taking any chance, the saffron party has promised a strong Lokpal if it comes to power. Party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley has assured support to social activist Anna Hazare who is holding a indefinite fast asking for passage of the Lokpal Bill in Parliament this session.
Hazare had written to BJP for support before he began the fast. In reply, Jaitley assured him support on the issue and promised to do all the party can for a strong and effective Lokpal to check corruption at high level.
With general elections only months away and Parliament in session, BJP sees an opportunity to rake up the Lokpal issue and corner the UPA government embroiled in a number of scams in last nine years. The party is desperately trying to play a leading role in the anti-corruption movement began by the civil society leaders.
Accusing the UPA government for lack of will to institute a strong Lokpal, Jaitley told Anna that the Lokpal he had demanded and was promised during the 2011 movement at Ram Lila maidan, was not the one the government had introduced in the House.
He said. “the Bill which was approved by the Lok Sabha on 27th December 2011 was neither the Jan Lokpal nor had it measured up to our expectations. The Government used its majority in the Lok Sabha to pass this Bill which would have created the Lokpal not as an independent institution but as a Government controlled entity.”
“Surely, creation of a ‘Sarkari’ Lokpal could not be your objective or ours. The Bill in this regard was taken up in the Rajya Sabha on 29/12/2011. The entire Opposition rallied against the provisions contained in the Bill as passed by the Lok Sabha which sought to create the ‘Sarkari Lokpal’,” he wrote further to Anna in the letter.
The Aam Admi Party was born out of the Janlokpal movement that began two years ago as people from all hues of society came in large number in support. However, senior Cabinet ministers of the UPA government had challenged the activists then to join politics and claim support of people in stead of, as they alleged, troubling public.
Click here to read the full text of the letter by Arun Jaitley to Anna Hazare as the latter is sitting on a indefinite fast at Ralegaon Siddhi in Maharashtra.
