It was poll campaign time in the Lok Sabha. With ensuing elections for five states in mind all speakers participating in the Lokpal debate, delivered their punch lines with a focus on the electorate.
Leading the pack was leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj and the mood was so infectious that even the usually apolitical prime minister Manmohan Singh also could not resist the opportunity. He recounted all major legislative initiatives of the UPA government.
“We believe in transparent, open governance and the well-being of the aam aadmi is central to all our policy prescriptions,” the PM said and then talked about RTI Act, NREGA, Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, National Rural Health Mission, JNNURM, Rajiv Awaas Yojana, introduction of Food Security Bill, The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, etc.
From the BJP side, the charge was led by Swaraj, and former union minister Yashwant Sinha endorsed it: “The government’s intentions on this legislation are suspicious. It has brought this weak Bill. This is deliberate. It wants to argue that the bill did not get through Parliament because of the Opposition parties, even though it tried its best.”
This was countered by HRD minister Kapil Sibal. “We understand Sushmaji’s intention. It is a political conspiracy to defeat the bill. While on one side they are talking about having a strong Lokpal, it is clear they do not want equally strong Lokayukta. In their states, they embrace corruption,” said Sibal. He even dared Swaraj to commit in the House that they will bring strong Lokayuktas in states ruled by her party within next two months.
When it came to SP and BSP, both Mulayam Singh and Dara Singh, traded charges on the issue of corruption during each other’s tenure. While Dara Singh was more vocal about listing achievements under UP CM Mayawati and how she was a victim of conspiracy by political parties, SP members laughed away such claims and commented on mismanagement in UP.
Earlier, unwilling to give the credit for Lokpal to Anna Hazare and his pressure tactics, the MoS in the PMO V Narayasamy made it clear that the Bill was a result of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s assurances made public in 2010 AICC session, where she talked about having a strong anti-corruption mechanism. He said in line with this, in January 2011, prime minister constituted a Group of Ministers headed by finance minister for the purpose of curbing corruption.
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