Cabinet decision on CBI is a remedy worse than problem: Arun Jaitley

NEW DELHI: Terming the Cabinet's decision on CBI autonomy as a "camouflage", Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley today said it creates an 'illusion' by replacing political executive with its proxy institution and the move should be opposed by one and all.

The BJP leader also charged the UPA with ensuring its longevity by misusing CBI in investigation of corruption cases against the leaders of Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and said its role in framing charges against BJP leaders in Gujarat and Rajasthan has demonstrated that "it is acting in order to serve the dictates of the party in power".

"The recent decision of the Union Cabinet based on GOM recommendations is a camouflage. It creates an illusion by removing the political executive and creating a proxy institution instead. The government's decision is a remedy worse than the existing problem," Jaitley said in an article.

He said media reports indicate that Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the Group of Ministers, which include greater financial powers to the agency, a provision for time bound sanctions to investigate government officials, appointment of a Director by a collegium and the constitution of a panel of retired judges which will monitor investigations and ensure that there is no extraneous influence.

Opposing the move, Jaitley said in his article, "To create an institutional mechanism of unaccountable retired judges appointed by the government to whom the CBI would be accountable will only result in the government perpetuating its political control over the CBI by removing itself from the scene and creating a proxy institution which will act on its behalf. This move should be opposed by one and all."

He demanded that the government should place before the Supreme Court the recommendations of the Select Committee, the Cabinet decision of January 31, 2013 alongwith suggestions of other political parties that would result in ensuring immunity of CBI from political interference.