Lokpal bill in present form not acceptable: CPI-M

THALASSERY (KERALA): CPI-M on Friday slammed the Lokpal Bill approved by the Union Cabinet, describing it as 'toothless' and said it was not going to serve the purpose of fighting corruption, maintaining that the bill without including Prime Minister in its ambit, was unacceptable.

The bill was a "betrayal" by Congress on its own commitment to bring in an effective Lokpal Bill to fight corruption, he said, adding, the Left would step up its agitation for an effective Lokpal Bill.

"The bill is toothless and not an effective one to check graft cases," he said after inaugurating the birth centenary celebrations of veteran communist leader late C H Kanaran here.

He said that there was no basis for the argument of some union ministers that once the bill was introduced in Parliament, it becomes a 'property' of Parliament and agitation against it (bill) would be a stir against it.

Criticising the Congress for excluding the Prime Minister from the purview of the Lokpal bill, Karat said that party had put forward the argument that including the Prime Minister would affect the stability of the government if any charges were made against him.

Countering the argument, Karat said even now Prime Minister was not immune to prosecution for corruption. The Prime Minister could be prosecuted under Prevention of Corruption Act, he pointed out.

Karat said Congress was ready to include Prime Minister in the ambit of Lokpal Bill when non-Congress governments were in power at the Centre in 1980, 1990 and 2001. But, now they were opposing it, he said.