NEW DELHI: In an apparent reminder to civil society activists campaigning for a ‘strong’ Lokpal, President Pratibha Patil said on Sunday there should be no effort consciously or unconsciously to erode the authority and credibility of institutions like Parliament even as she wanted the cancer of corruption to be eliminated.
In the context of the campaign by social activists led by Anna Hazare for an all-encompassing Lokpal bill as the means to fight political and bureaucratic corruption, she said, “There cannot be just one panacea or remedy to deal with it (corruption) but a system of transparency and accountability should be put in place at various levels and then effectively enforced.
“Credibility of institutions depends upon their conduct, which must be in accordance with the constitutional framework. We should strengthen them and their ability to take corrective actions, whenever required. There should be no no effort, consciously or otherwise, that will lead to the erosion of institutional credibility and authority,” Patil said in her Independence day-eve address to the nation.
The President’s remarks assume significance in the context of debate over Hazare’s campaign for a Lokpal Bill he feels is appropriate and the charge that he was ignoring Parliament’s authority over lawmaking.
Hazare is slated to go on an indefinite fast on August 16 in pursuit of a Lokpal that would cover the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and conduct of MPs in Parliament besides other provisions. (PTI)