Will support Janlokpal Bill if AAP government tables 2014 version: Yogendra Yadav

NEW DELHI: Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav today said if the AAP government tables the 2014 Delhi Janlokpal Bill in the Assembly, it will not only congratulate the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation but will also join them in protest in case the Centre blocks the legislation.

Yadav asked the Arvind Kejriwal dispensation what were the "compulsions" for not tabling the 2014 Janlokpal Bill.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Prashant Bhushan said if the Delhi government does not table the 2014 legislation then he will talk to all those who participated in the Janlokpal movement and chalk out the next course of action.

"You claimed that the 2015 bill is similar to the one in 2014 and not even a dot and comma has been changed... However, everything including dots and commas has been changed. While protesting during the Janlokpal Bill, you were asking for independence of Lokpal. But now you are selectively clipping the clauses of bill which gave Lokpal its independence.

"If they table the 2014 Bill, we will address a press conference and congratulate them," Yadav said.

On AAP government's claims of the Delhi Janlokpal Bill 2015 being the "strongest" legislation to combat corruption, Yadav asked the AAP dispensation to provide "at least one" clause which is not there in lokayukta bills of other states.

Bhushan's father Shanti, who was also present at the press conference, said four of the five persons who drafted the Janlokpal draft in 2011 were against the 2015 draft as it stipulates that the appointment and removal of the ombudsman remain in the hands of the state government.

"Anna ji (Hazare), Justice Santosh Hegde, Prashant Bhushan, myself Shanti Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal drafted the Janlokpal draft in 2011. But today of the five, four of us are saying that the new bill is flawed," Shanti said.

He also raised concern over lack of clarity on funding the Lokpal which can impact its independent functioning.