An All India NGO of Gandhian Persuasion, Registered the Societies Registration Act, 1860
LAJPAT BHAWAN, LAJPAT NAGAR-IV, NEW DELHI-110024
For the last over a decade, the Gandhian Seva & Satyagraha Brigade (previously known as Lok Sevak Sangh) is working for the elimination of corruption and criminality in Indian politics, as we found that political corruption is the mother of all corruptions. In 1998/99, we put forward three concrete demands, which later became, among others, recommendations of the Second Administrative Reforms Commission in January 2007. These demands are (i) Appointment of an Effective Lokpal (ii) Confiscation of illegally acquired property, and (iii) Debarring the corrupt and criminal candidates from entering the election arena (as repeatedly recommended by Election Commission of India since 1998. However, the political fraternity is opposed to these demands, since they themselves are mainly affected. Hence, for these demands, we have so far secured only speeches, manifestos and promises.
Recently, Gandhian Seva & Satyagraha Brigade (GSSB) renewed its Satyagraha from 1st January 2011 for one month, followed by fast unto death by five Satyagrahi members from 30th January, 2011 at Jantar Mantar. Towards the evening, a few leading dignitaries of ‘India Against Corruption’ (Swami Agnivesh, Dr Kiran Bedi, Shri Arvind Kejriwal, Shri Prashant Bhushan, Justice Tewatia and others) came after the large scale Rally of ‘India Against Corruption’, from Ramlila Ground to Jantar Mantar and prevailed upon the Satyagrahis to give up their fast, because they were confident of their success. Accordingly, the Hazare-led civil society fulfilled their commitment by securing government’s participation in the revision of the proposed Lokpal Bill to have provisions, among others, for whistleblower’s protection, Citizens’ Charters, transparency, and time-bound resolution of public grievances against the corrupt ones.
Now, the government is diverting its promises to enact the Lokpal Act by a particular date through raising various issues, inter alia, like the inclusion of the PM in Lokpal’s ambit and involving all the states in its consultation process. It creates doubt about the government’s intention to root out corruption from the system. We fail to understand why the Prime Minister, Ministers and MPs can’t be brought under the purview of the Lokpal when it was provided in the various drafts of the Lokpal Bill proposed since 1968. Similarly, the proposed Lokpal Bill can be enacted on the lines of the RTI Act-2005 without involving the states. The RTI-like Lokpal Bill would also help those citizens whose Lok Ayuktas are either non-existent or very weak. This process will save the time and repose the confidence of the common man in the government.
The earlier Lokpal Bill had the provisions as per recommendations of the first ARC where the Lokpal was empowered to inquire into
complaints that a public functionary (which includes Prime Minister, Ministers, Ministers of State, Deputy Ministers and MPs) has committed an offence punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act. These Bills aimed at enabling a citizen to have recourse to a convenient and effective forum for determination of complaints and thereby save him from pursuing his remedy through the process of courts, which may prove expensive or dilatory and may not facilitate in speedy determination. The Bill also provides for annual declaration of assets and liabilities by all the public functionaries and their family members. We extend our support for a strong Lokpal.
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