KOCHI: Social activist Swami Agnivesh has sought the support of the civil society in Kerala to implement a comprehensive Jan Lokpal Bill.After launching a state level campaign by the Anti-Corruption People's Movement (ACPM) here on Friday, Swami Agnivesh categorically rejected the view that having the Prime Minister under the Lokpal Bill would weaken the post of the Prime Minister.He further pointed out that the Constitution had not exempted the Prime Minister from the purview of the anti-corruption law."The Constitution has not exempted him from the purview of the anti-corruption law. However, the investigation agencies under him may not probe the allegations against him. The Lokpal and its members are answerable to the Supreme Court. Hence there is no reason for fears that the Lokpal could become an extraconstitutional body," Swami Agnivesh said.Agnivesh opined that the current draft of the Lokpal Bill was completely wrong. "There are some positive changes. And for the first time a law is being debated in public.Most of the time even Ministers are not aware of the nuances of laws passed by state assemblies and Parliament," he said.Referring to the National Advisory Council (NAC) constituted by the Centre, he said the NAC had given major contributions to the RTI Act, Right To Education Act and the employment guarantee scheme.He asked people to observe Quit Corruption Day on August 9 and to carry out demonstrations demanding a comprehensive Lokpal Bill. Swami Agnivesh repeated an earlier allegation by Shanti Bhushan that some of the Chief Justices were corrupt and one of them was from here.Justice V R Krishna Iyer, who delivered the valedictory address, opined that both the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India should be brought under the purview of Jan Lokpal Bill.Anti-Corruption People's Movement chairman P C Cyriac presided over the function. Justice P K Shamsuddin, Justice M R Hariharan Nair, M K Sanu, Mathew Paily and Alphonse Kannanthanam were present on the occasion.
Comments
0 comment