Lokpal Bill cleared by Cabinet deceit on the nation: Team Anna

NEW DELHI: The Anna Hazare team today described the Lokpal Bill cleared by the Union Cabinet as a "deceit on the nation". "It is a deceit on the nation," activist Kiran Bedi told PTI.

She said the bill, once passed, would have a cascading effect as those states which plan to set up the institution of Lokayukta will now plan to avoid Chief Ministers from it.

"This bill will have a cascading effect," she said. Karnataka Lokayukta and a member of joint Lokpal Bill drafting committee member Santosh Hegde said the bill does not have provisions the civil society asked for.

"I don't think it will be a very strong Lokpal Bill. For 44 years, they have not brought the Lokpal Bill and now they want to bring a bill which may not be a strong bill at all," he said.

Bedi said the government has lost a golden opportunity.

Hazare had yesterday said they sincerely hoped that corruption that affects aam admi will also be addressed through Lokpal Bill.

Another activist Arvind Kejriwal said if the government presents a Bill with faulty structures, then even the Parliamentary Standing Committee will not be able to do much.

Three months after the civil society initiated a movement, the Union Cabinet today approved the Lokpal Bill keeping the office of Prime Minister outside its purview during his term in office and also excluded higher judiciary and conduct of MPs inside Parliament.