Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre over being once again invited to attend meeting of Selection Committe (under Sec 4 of Lokpal & Lokayuktas Act)as a 'Special Invitee'.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre over being once again invited to attend meeting of Selection Committe (under Sec 4 of Lokpal & Lokayuktas Act)as a 'Special Invitee'.
Kharge, who had received a similar invitation in March this year, said that he was deeply disappointed with the Narendra Modi-led Central government as not only did his earlier letter go unacknowledged, but concerns that he had raised earlier continued to go unaddressed.
In his lettter to the Prime Minister, shared by news agency ANI, Kharge highlighted the issues raised in the first letter he had sent in March, as well as spoke of how he was disappointed.
In March this year, Kharge refused to attend a meeting called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide on the appointment of an anti-corruption ombudsman —Lokpal — objecting to his "special invitee" status in the meeting. "A more apt and statesman-like conduct is expected from the Prime Minister of the country," the Congress leader in Lok Sabha said in a sharp letter to PM Modi, refusing to be part of the selection process.
“My mere presence as special invitee without rights of participation, recording of my opinion and voting would be a mere eyewash, ostensibly aimed at showcasing the participation of the Opposition in the selection process," he says, adding that the 'Special Invitee Invitation' was a concerted effort to exclude the Opposition from the selection process.
The selection panel includes the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, the Lok Sabha Speaker and an eminent jurist. The rules also call for a leader of Opposition, but the Congress, the largest Opposition group, doesn't have enough numbers to make the cut. In 2014, when the BJP came to power, the Congress was reduced to just 44 seats in the Lok Sabha. The meeting has been called in light of the Supreme Court's February 23 directive on the delay in appointing the Lokpal.
Notwithstanding Modi's repeated rhetoric to fight corruption, he accused the government of sitting tight on the appointment for four years and now adopting this route as "a mere paper formality rather than seek any meaningful and constructive participation."
Two weeks ago, the top court had asked the Centre to submit details on steps it has taken towards appointing a Lokpal. At the time, the government had told the court that the Lokpal could not be appointed as there was no Leader of Opposition in the selection panel and a change in law that would allow the Congress to be a member has yet to be approved in parliament.
Amid criticism, the government later made a concession and decided to include the largest opposition party in selection panels not just for the Lokpal but also for CBI chief, by changing the law.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kharge")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}