Government doesn’t want Lokpal, doesn’t want accountability: Congress

New Delhi, April 6 (IANS) The Congress on Thursday accused the government of hypocrisy and "lacking sincerity" in operationalising the Lokpal and appointing a Lokayukt as it does not want accountability.

"The government doesn't want the Lokpal because it doesn't want accountability. It doesn't want an independent body to oversee the actions of the government.

"We have a Lokayukta Act, we have it operational but they'll not appoint a Lokayukt," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

He also said that it was the Congress-led UPA government which did all the work on the Lokpal bill.

"A joint drafting committee was formed on April 8 in 2011. UPA introduced the bill in Lok Sabha on August 4, that year and it was referred to a parliamentary standing committee. In four months a report was submitted in December 2011," said Singhvi.

"UPA did all the work on Lokpal in 2011 itself. Lok Sabha passed the bill in December 2011. It was the BJP which delayed it with various objections and got it referred in the Rajya Sabha to another Select Committee," added Singhvi.

Singhvi said: "A year later, in 2012 the select committee submitted its report and finally the bill was assented by President and came to force in January 2014."

Congress said the bill is there for 36 months but nothing has been done by BJP to operationalise Lokpal.

"When asked on the floor of House yesterday (Wednesday), Jitendra Singh (Minister of State PMO) said that there are issues and they are waiting to sort out the issue of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha," said Singhvi.

"This is something that could have happened in a few moments by way of an amendment in the Lok Sabha. The government is not appointing the Lokpal on the basis of frivolous excuses.

"This is nothing but deliberate hypocrisy, lack of sincerity, and they are fooling the public," he added.