Indian Parliament Stalls Anti-Corruption Bill 42 years!

Is that a surprise when 25% of MP's face criminal charges? And the rest have yet to be caught? 

It was in 1963 that 31-year old independent MP Dr L M Singhvi first called for an independent Ombudsman to check abuses of power. Then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru asked in jest of the young Singhvi: 

"To what zoo does this animal belong? Dr Singhvi you must indigenize it."

L M Singhvi then coined the Sanskrit terms Lokpal ('Protector of the People') and Lokayukt for the Ombudsman and state-level watchdogs. He lobbied vigorously for adoption of a Lokpal Bill from 1963-67.

As an independent without a party machinery behind him, he failed to muster support. He continued to champion it after he left parliament. 

In 1969 home minister Y B Chavan moved for the Bill and it was passed in the Lok Sabha (House of the People) but parliament was dissolved before it could be ratified in the Rajya Sabha (Council of the States) to become law.

The Lokpal Bill continued to be raised fitfully in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008 under successive governments but failed to win favour with the majority of MPs.

Beneficiaries of corruption have little incentive to change the status quo. The Washington Post in 2008 reported that nearly 25% of the 540 sitting members of parliament faced criminal charges "including human trafficking, immigration rackets, embezzlement, rape and even murder."

Anna Hazare's distrust of parliament even as he agreed to end his fast on 28 August of 288 hours, made him insist that the Lokpal Bill be debated immediately and passed into law during the current monsoon session of both houses. He warned the government that he would resume his fast if it failed to incorporate his terms or stalled the process.

Given the task of studying the many submissions for the Lokpal Bill from NGOs, citizens' groups and government agencies, it is unlikely that the Standing Committee can conclude its work in haste.

    Poetic Justice or Supreme Irony? 

The head of the Standing Committee on Law and Justice is Abhishek Manu Singhvi, son of anti-corruption activist Dr L M Singhvi who lobbied unsuccessfully for an Ombudsman Bill back in 1963. 

Expectations are high that Abhishek Singhvi will do a thorough job to complete what his father could not. This time there is an outraged and vigilant civil society behind the Bill.

Like Jawaharlal Nehru, prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh is respected for his integrity - but reviled for failing to exorcise a deeply corrupt Congress Party machinery.

      ENDS