Arvind Kejriwal lambasts Goa`s Lokayukta Act

Aam Admi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday lambasted the recently amended Goa Lokayukta Act alleging that CM was "trying to protect corrupt people."

Panaji: Aam Admi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday lambasted the recently amended Goa Lokayukta Act alleging that chief minister Manohar Parrikar was "trying to protect corrupt people."

"Parrikar is said to be an honest person. Then why is he trying to protect corrupt people," he observed while talking to reporters here today. "Manohar Parrikar is said to be an honest person. Why is he doing this? Why is he trying to protect corrupt people? What are the pressures on him? Is he giving a message that development is linked to corruption," Kejriwal asked. The anti-graft crusader appealed people of Goa to reject the act, which he alleged was amended to help the corrupt people go scot-free. A clause in the act that chief minister or minister "may resign" if found guilty by Lokayukta has met with strong opposition from India Against Corruption activists. Another clause that has upset IAC is that if the Lokayukta recommendations are not accepted by the government in three months, it would amount to be deemed rejection. Kejriwal called it as "a first in history". "If the Goa government does not accept the decision of the Lokayukta in three months, then it would be deemed to have been rejected. Anywhere else, it would be a case of being deemed to have been accepted," he observed. PTI