Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare, who is in the city to meet politicians to garner their support for a strong Lokayukta in Maharashtra, on Thursday said that the Lokayukta should be an autonomous body to avoid any interference from the government.
Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday too reacted over the issue after meeting Mr Hazare and said that his government was in the process of conducting comparative studies of Lokayukta Acts of various states and would take a decision on enacting the same only if its provisions are not included in the Centre’s Lokpal Bill. “I feel that the Lokayukta aspect will not be included in the Lokpal Bill. I had written to the Centre to enact a model law of Lokayukta so that all states can adopt their own act as per the model law,” he said, adding that the Centre seemed favourable to this proposal.
Mr Hazare also met deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar at Sahyadri Guest House and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
“Corruption is rising and the common man is reeling under it. An autonomous Lokayukta will help curb corruption,” said Mr Hazare, while speaking to the media after meeting Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray at the latter’s residence. Mr Hazare also praised the MNS chief’s move to conduct examinations and interviews for party candidates.
Expressing the need for a strong and effective Lokpal, Mr Hazare said that it would help curb 60 to 65 per cent corruption.
Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, however, said his father and party supremo Bal Thackeray would not meet Anna Hazare as long as he was accompanied by “corrupt people”, reports PTI. Reacting to it, Mr Hazare said, “It will not affect me as the meeting is not for my selfish interest, but for the state.”