Lokpal Bill not 'Jokepal': Kiran Bedi

NEW DELHI: In a veiled attack on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, Anna Hazare's aide Kiran Bedi today said the Lokpal Bill tabled in Rajya Sabha was "certainly not a Jokepal".

In an apparent reference to Aam Aadmi Party, the former IPS officer tweeted, "How can a political leadership, which is opposing all other political parties, concede Lokpal to others which weakens their very foundation?"

"Lokpal is certainly not a Jokepal! Those who term it this way perhaps want to keep the issue alive and not want it get started against corruption," she said in another tweet.

In a series of tweets, Kejriwal had yesterday expressed surprise that how Hazare could accept the Lokpal Bill which was tabled in Rajya Sabha on Friday.

"I an really surprised. How can Anna accept sarkari lokpal bill? Sarkari lokpal is a "jokepal". Who is misguiding Anna?" he had tweeted.

The AAP convenor and his party had said that the Lokpal Bill was "weak" and "inefficient" to handle corruption cases and forget any minister, not even a mouse would go to jail if it was enacted.

He had also said that he was saddened with Hazare's stand that he would break his indefinite fast if the Bill which is in Rajya Sabha is enacted.

Hazare has been fasting for the past five days at his village Ralegan Siddhi for passage of the Lokpal Bill in Parliament.