Team Anna attacks Abhishek Singhvi for excluding lower bureaucracy, Citizens' Charter from Lokpal bill

NEW DELHI: Lashing out at Abhishek Singhvi on the draft Lokpal Bill, Team Anna today accused the Congress leader of disrepecting Parliament by going against its commitment of including lower bureaucracy and Citizens' Charter in the ambit of the ombudsman.

Activist Arvind Kejriwal said Singhvi, the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lokpal Bill, was disrespecting Parliament by not abiding by the assurances given in a resolution passed by Parliament during Anna Hazare's fast to include lower bureaucracy and Citizens' Charter in Lokpal.

"Parliament passed resolution during Anna's fast to include lower bureaucracy and Citzens' Charter in Lokpal. Now, Abhishek Manu Singhvi is disrespecting Parliament by violating it," Kejriwal said. The panel has recommended exclusion of lower bureaucracy and Citizens' Charter from Lokpal Bill.

He claimed that the recommendations of the Standing Committee will not have any impact on corruption but instead it will dismantle the existing anti-graft mechanism.

"I think the recommendations of the (Parliamentary) Standing Committee, whatever they are, the Lokpal which is coming, I don't think this will have any impact on corruption. On the contrary, it is likely to dismantle whatever exists in the name of anti-corruption in this country," he said.

Claiming that the Standing Committee proposes to divide CBI into three parts, Kejriwal said the move will cripple the investigating agency.

"So by taking excuse of Anna andolan rather than strengthening the anti-corruption system, they seem to further weaken whatever exists. We are disappointed," he said.

However, he was of the view that it was "extremely difficult" at this stage to say anything because Standing Committee's recommendations were not final.