Vijay Bahuguna should apologise for Lokayukta remarks: BJP

DEHRADUN: BJP today slammed Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna for calling certain clauses of the Lokayukta Act "unconstitutional" and demanded an apology for his remarks.

"The Chief Minister makes it appear as if the President's assent to the Lokayukta Act was unconstitutional," BJP spokesperson Balraj Passi said in a statement.

Earlier today, the Chief Minister had expressed reservations over some of the provisions of the Lokayukta Act, saying that it cannot be enforced in its original form and an option to "change the law" or "bring in a new one" was open.

"By opposing the Lokayaukta Act, to which the President gave his assent, Bahuguna has become a lawyer of the corrupt," Passi added.

On the one hand, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi says the ordinance to save convicted lawmakers from disqualification should be "torn up and thrown away", on the other hand Bahuguna is opposing the Act meant to root out corruption, he said.

"The Chief Minister should have thought before expressing reservations against an act approved by the President, who is better experienced and well-versed in constitutional matters," he said.

He further demanded for an apology from the Chief Minister to both the President and the state.