Activists to push for Lokpal bill

Volunteers working for the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by activists like Kiran Bedi and justice Santosh Hegde are working hard to garner support for the bill.

Volunteers working for the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by activists like Kiran Bedi and justice Santosh Hegde are working hard to garner support for the bill.

HT Image

Their main strategy is to pressurise political parties into supporting the bill in the parliament. “We will ask people not to vote for the parties that don’t support the Jan Lokpal Bill during the civic elections in 2012,” said Mayank Gandhi, secretary, Remaking of Mumbai Federation.

“Even if we have about 500 voters from each ward with us then we can make a difference.”

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare also backed the bill and said he would go on a fast from April 6 to force the government to pass it in the parliament. “Around 50-60 activists from Mumbai would also fast along with Hazare to support the cause and many others would skip their one meal,” said Gandhi.

Activist Arvind Kejriwal said, “Also, our volunteers will visit each ward in Delhi and Mumbai to educate people and get their support.”

The Lokpal Bill, mainly formed to curb corruption, has been hanging in the Rajyasabha for approval since the past 42 years. It was passed in the Loksabha in 1969.

Currently, there are two bills — one drafted by the government and another by activists, which is the Jan Lokpal Bill.

The activists’ bill demands that the Lokpal and Lokayukta be independent bodies unlike the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Anti-corruption Bureau, which are under the government and can’t function independently. Also this bill emphasises on time-bound investigation.