By IANS,
New Delhi : The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday refused to comment on the growing controversy surrounding Lokpal Bill drafting committee co-chair Shanti Bhushan, saying the party was a mere ‘spectator’ to the episode, but hinted that the Congress could be behind it.
“The creation of the joint committee was between Congress and the agitators, we are just spectators to the whole situation like you,” party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told reporters in New Delhi.
Questions have been raised on the moral right of former law minister Shanti Bhushan, and his son Prashant Bhushan to continue in the joint committee to draft an anti-corruption Lokpal Bill following a series of allegations raised against them.
Shanti Bhushan is co-chairman of the joint committee which has five members from civil society and five from the government to draft an effective anti-graft legislation.
“Anna Hazare should speak on the issue,” Javadekar said, adding the allegations were an attempt to derail the process of functioning of the committee.
“First it was the Bhushans, then Santosh Hegde, and now I have heard a petition has also been filed against Anna Hazare. These are people who want to finish this mechanism,” Javadekar said.
“These are the forces which want to disturb the drafting of the bill and defame the committee members,” he added.
Javadekar also indirectly alleged that the Congress was behind the events.
“It is the Congress’ character, they give from one side and take away from the other side, we condemn it,” Javadekar said, indicating at the party first granting formation of the joint committee and a slew of allegations against its members following later.
Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan have been the target of several controversies since the committee was formed. First the issue of ‘nepotism’ was raised. Later a CD was circulated, with a voice said to be of Shanti Bhushan in conversation with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh and then SP leader Amar Singh for allegedly fixing a dubious legal deal.
Other issues like Bhushans getting land in Noida at lower than market price and not paying stamp duty on a bungalow in Allahabad have also surfaced.
Congress leader Digvijay Singh has attacked another member of the committee N. Santhosh Hegde, who is Lokayukta of Karnataka, for being unable to control corruption in the state.