Will continue to protest if the revised Lokpal Bill is not satisfactory, warns Anna Hazare

Mangalore Today News Network/ DHNS

New Delhi, Jan 31, 2013: On the day when the government is expected to consider the new revised Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare reiterated that he will continue to protest if the Lokpal Bill is not upto the mark.

Anna also raised the question whether the government has drafted the bill according to "our demands". Anna also asked will the bill be able to check corruption. "Is the bill the government coming up with the one we demanded? How will they remove corruption? The government has goons that controls villages," said Anna.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) member Manish Sisodia, too, expressed doubts about the draft of the Lokpal Bill. "We don’t know how helpful the Lokpal is in the present form. This Lokpal will have no investigative agency and other important rights," said Sisodia.

The union cabinet will consider the new revised Lokpal Bill on Thursday, even though the Law Ministry has objections to the draft. The new draft leaves the appointment of Lokayuktas to the states. The earlier bill had given this power to the Centre. 

The new draft also has extra protection for public servants giving them the right to present their view to the Lokpal. The Law Ministry believes that bureaucrats should not have the right to be heard first.

The Rajya Sabha select committee had said that the Lokpal could order a probe straight away. NGOs, except religious organisations, will come under the purview of the Lokpal. The Law Ministry wants to keep NGOs out. The fifth member of the five-member Lokpal, an eminent jurist, will be appointed by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.