Notwithstanding the fissures in Team Anna in the wake of recent controversies, the team is set to score a small yet significant victory on its demand for a strong Jan Lokpal.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttarakhand has decided to introduce its version of the Jan Lokpal Bill in the state legislative assembly next month. Prominent members of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's team, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal, were on the drafting committee for this proposed legislation.
The five-member team led by Hazare includes the father-son team of lawyers Shanti and Prashant Bhushan, RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal and former supreme court judge, Santosh Hegde.
While Hazare has expressed differences with Prashant Bhushan over his remarks on a plebiscite on Kashmir, Hegde disapproved of the campaign against the Congress in the Hisar by-poll.
In addition to a strong Lokpal at the Centre, Hazare had demanded that every state must have an effective Lokayukta at its level. The institution of the Lok Ayukta in the state would have powers similar to that of the Lokpal and would have the CBI's anti-corruption wing attached to it for its investigative work.
Highly placed sources in Uttarakhand told DNA that the decision to introduce a strong Lokayukta was taken by the chief minister Major General (retd) BC Khanduri soon after he took over office in September.
In the first cabinet meeting, the decision was taken to introduce the bill, which was to be drafted in consultation with members from Team Anna. Khanduri had assumed office following the resignation of the erstwhile chief minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal, following allegation of corruption.
Subsequently, Bhushan and Kejriwal travelled to the state capital, Dehradun, to attend meetings of the drafting committee. The final draft has incorporated 80% of the features suggested by Team Anna.
Along with Team Anna, the state government had invited members from various sections of the society for their suggestions on the bill. The bill will be introduced in the state assembly by the government during the November session. A Team Anna member had confided to DNA that states like Orissa and Bihar are in talks with them to formulate similar legislations in their state.
