Why shouldn’t Lokpal cover PM, asks Kejriwal

Jun 13, 2011 |

IANS

New Delhi

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Civil society activist Arvind Kejriwal on Monday sought to know why government leaders were so opposed to bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal’s purview.

Since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had himself stated that he has no objection to being covered by the proposed Lokpal Bill, why were his ministers against this, Kejriwal asked at a news conference. “We are unable to understand this,” he said. “If you take the PM out of the purview of any investigation, that will be very unfortunate.” Kejriwal dismissed suggestions that if the Prime Minister was sought to be covered by the Lokpal, then any investigation would end up crippling the government.

“The PM himself said once that I have no problems is there some kind of disconnect (then)?” He said even Pranab Mukherjee had advocated the inclusion of the Prime Minister in a Lokpal Bill when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled the country. The point was reiterated, he added, even as late as January in 2011.

“What has happened? This is completely mysterious we don’t understand.” Kejriwal’s comments came a day after finance minister and Congress leader Mukherjee accused civil society activists of putting undue pressure on the government with their protest campaigns.

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