Street corner meeting urges stronger Lokayukta Act
SHILLONG: The Campaign for an Independent Lokayukta in Meghalaya (CILM) has threatened to launch a campaign similar to the one in New Delhi to pressurize the State Government to create a strong and independent Lokayukta.
“We have seen that the Centre was compelled to come with the Lokpal Act due to the mass public campaign. We would not hesitate to hold a similar campaign if the Government is adamant on creating a strong and independent Lokayukta in the State,” CILM member Avner Pariat said while speaking during a street corner meeting on the Lokayukta at Mawlai Mawdatbaki bus stand here on Saturday.
“If the voice of the people can rock the national capital, the same can be replicated even in our State,” Pariat said.
He also said that the State Government would have to bow down to the voice of the common people of the State.
“I appeal to the people to join hands in the demand for an independent Lokayukta to eradicate corruption in our system,” he said.
Meanwhile, MRTIM chairman and member of the campaign Michael Syiem said that the people of the State do not want a Lokayukta which is toothless.
“We want the State Government to create a Lokayukta in the line with the Lokayukta in Karnataka. The Lokayukta in Karnataka is the best model which should be replicated in the State,” Syiem said, adding, “We have seen how the former Chief Minister of Karnataka was put behind bars after the Lokayukta exposed his involvement in various corruption cases”.
Syiem also said that there have always been arguments that the RTI is a toothless legislation since it has no legal sanction to take action against people who are involved in corrupt practices.
“It is for this specific reason that we need a strong Lokayukta to take action against corrupt individuals and politicians. Supposed through RTI findings we unearthed any scam, the Lokayukta will follow up and penalize the people who are involved in the scam,” the MRTIM chairman said.
RTI activist Angela Rangad said that in the past many years, many scams have been unfolded especially after the passage of the RTI Act.
“Sadly, the people who are involved in the scam have remained untouched since there are no independent agencies which can initiate action. Taking this fact into consideration, we really need a Lokayukta which can initiate investigation and take action against those who are found to indulge in various kinds of corrupt activities,” Rangad said.
She also said that the Government should remove all the glaring loopholes in the existing Meghalaya Lokayukta, 2012 in order to have strong and independent Lokayukta in the State.
Another member of the campaign Rev. K Pyrtuh said that the Congress-led Government has no other option but to amend the existing Lokayukta since a directive has come from the party high command.
“We are all aware that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had recently convened a meeting of all Chief Ministers of Congress ruled States. During the meeting, he (Gandhi) had issued clear cut directive to all the Congress Chief Ministers to bring an amendment to their respective Lokayukta Act in order to make it stronger and effective,” Pyrtuh said.
He said that it would be interesting to see what kind of amendment the Government is going to bring in the existing Lokayukta Act.
Other who spoke at the meeting included CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing.