The Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill - 2014 was tabled in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday even as the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party raised a hue and cry wanting to know why the Congress government was trying to bring a new Lokayukta law. The opposition pointed out that a similar Bill, passed unanimously during the chief ministership of B.C. Khanduri in 2011, had been given the Presidential nod recently.
Six other bills including the Uttarakhand Right to Service (amendment) Bill were tabled amidst the confusion.
“Instead of implementing the strong anti-corruption Act that was framed by the BJP Government in 2011, the Congress Government now proposes to replace it with a diluted law that would not be able to tackle corruption effectively,” the Leader of Opposition Ajay Bhatt said.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hirdeyesh said the new Bill was framed on the lines of the Lokpal Bill that was supported by the BJP in Parliament. “I am sure the BJP members would participate in the debate before the new Bill was passed on Tuesday,” she said.
Earlier Speaker Govind Singh Kunjwal ordered a probe into alleged irregularities in the land purchase scam of the Uttarakhand Forest Corporation and attached its Managing Director Srikant Chandola to the forest headquarters till the probe was concluded. The Speaker’s orders came after the Congress MLA Pranav Champion raised the issue that was immediately supported by the BJP members who thronged the Well of the House twice seeking directions from the Speaker.
Later talking to newspersons, Mr. Chandola said there was no scam as no land had been purchased by the corporation. The BJP members also expressed grave concern over the police failing to make any breakthrough in the rape and murder of a minor girl in Haridwar 13 days ago.
The Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna met the father of the victim in his office and assured to order a CBI probe if the case was not solved within 15 days.
