Leave it to states to set up lokayuktas: Trinamool

The Trinamool Congress, an ally of the Congress in the ruling combine, today objected to the government's anti-graft lokpal bill on the ground that it was encroaching on the federal structure of the constitution.

The Trinamool Congress, an ally of the Congress in the ruling combine, on Tuesday objected to the government's anti-graft lokpal bill on the ground that it was encroaching on the federal structure of the constitution.

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"The bill encroaches upon the federal structure of constitution. Don't undermine the state legislatures. It would be a dangerous proposition. We are all fighting against corruption," Kalyan Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress said.

He was speaking during the Lok Sabha debate on the lokpal bill moved in the house last week.

Banerjee said "all steps" had to be taken to curb corruption in the country. "For that purpose, a bill is not sufficient," he said.

He said what the lokpal bill proposes to create is "nothing but creating a super-investigate agency".

He also opposed the government's move to bring in the legislation under pressure from Anna Hazare's anti-graft agitation.

"Parliament should not surrender to anybody," Banerjee said, without naming anybody.