Agartala: National Election Watch (NEW), Tripura chapter, an NGO, devoted to the cause of improving democracy and good governance launched a mass signature campaign on Tuesday demanding inclusion of the Prime Minister and judges in Lokpal Bill’s ambit as part of ‘India Against Corruption’ movement.
Anti-corruption crusador Anna Hazare had been advocating for a corruption-free India and had recently been vocal against the government’s ‘failure’ to introduce a strong Lokpal Bill after rejecting the version introduced by it in Parliament on August 4.
Thousands of civil society members participated in the campaign advocating for a three-point charter of demands including expansion of Lokpal ambit considering the spirit of equality before law.
Similar campaigns would be spread across the state with network organisations and involving common people of the state, Tripura chapter’s president and former state Election Commissioner and Law Secretary B B Senapati said.
“India has a traditional belief and our constitution recognises the sentiment of equality before law, nobody can be excluded intentionally from the ambit of any law and if this bill passed, the very spirit of Indian constitution will be destroyed weakening the democracy,” he said.
However, Senapati and his team preferred to disagree over Anna Hazare’s demand to bring the conduct of MPs in the ambit of the anti-corruption watchdog and opined that Parliament should have the supreme authority and Lokpal should not interfere in the Parliamentary proceedings.
Senapati also demanded that persons charge-sheeted under CrPC should be barred from contesting the election.
“If honest, energetic and qualified persons with good exposure are elected in Parliament most of the problems will be solved and India can uphold its democratic sentiment at the World forum,” Senapati pointed out.
The present Bill did not have the scope to deal with petty cases of corruption against junior functionaries in Lokpal and Lokayukta and deals only with high-level corruption cases. (UNI)