Ahmedabad, April 09: Taking a dig at Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the state Congress today said that instead of trying to encash Anna Hazare’s campaign against corruption, he should first appoint a Lokpal in Gujarat.
Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said, “it was an irony that Modi was talking about the campaign for Lokpal by Hazare when he has not appointed Lokayukta in Gujarat”.
Gohil was referring to the statements made by Modi addressing a public rally while campaigning for his party in Assam yesterday, where he had reportedly said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement on social activist Anna Hazare’s fast had created an emergency like situation similar to that in 1975.
Gohil alleged that though Gujarat has been following a system of Lokpal, no Lokpal has been appointed after Modi took over as Chief Minister.
Giving details of the appointment of new Lokpal, he said that as per the provisions of the Lokayukta (Lokpal) Act, Chief Justice of Gujarat had already recommended to Governor the name of the Lokayukta and the Governor had also approved it.
“In such a situation Gujarat government only needs to announce the appointment( but it has not). As per the law, Chief Minister cannot make any change in the names. He has ulterior motive in not announcing the name,” Gohil said.
“If Lokpal is appointed he will investigate ‘shady’ deals of the state government, which has given away precious land at throw away price to industrialists,” Gohil said adding that if such cases are investigated, it would be embarrassing for the government.
The issue of appointment of lokpal was also raised in the recently concluded assembly session of the state.
—_Agencies