This Lokpal will lead to more corruption, says SP leader Naresh Agarwal

Zee Media Bureau

New Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader, Naresh Agarwal said on Tuesday that his party was not against a functional bill which would actually fight corruption. Talking to a news agency, he said, "Not against a functional bill which actually fights corruption. This Lokpal will just lead to more corruption." He also said that the government had passed the Lokpal Bill just as a matter of pretence. He added that the country would one day understand that the SP was right in its stand. The anti-graft bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha today. However, the SP walked out of the House as soon as the debate began and boycotted the proceedings. The party had also skipped the all-party meet called yesterday to build consensus on the anti-graft bill. The SP has been saying that the bill was against the interest of the nation. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011 has been pending in the House for the last two years. The bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha in December 2011. It will again go to the Lower House tomorrow for consideration, as it has undergone a number of official amendments. The Bill was brought back to the Upper House after being considered by the Parliamentary Select Committee which recommended several amendments to make it widely acceptable among political parties. Among the amendments accepted by the government are delinking of the mandatory creation of Lokayuktas by the state governments, one of the provisions which had stalled the passage of the bill in December 2011. With PTI inputs