Himachal MP calls Lok Ayukta Bill 'draconian', stages day-long protest

Kangra’s Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament sat on protest for the entire day on Thursday in Shimla while calling the Lok Ayukta Bill “draconian”.

Rajan Sushant had recently been suspended from the party for his criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s alleged promotion of corruption in the state.

Protesting next to the well-known statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Shimla’s Ridge, the irrepressible Sushant said the proposed legislation was creating a “fear psychosis in the minds of whistleblowers as it planned to impose one year jail and a huge fine on those making frivolous complaints.”

“The Bill aims to provide illegitimate protection to the corrupt and is extremely weak and ineffective,” said Sushant.

He criticised the saffron party for failing to bring a strong Lok Ayukta system similar to those in two other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states of Uttarakhand and Karnataka.

The Lok Ayukta Bill was introduced in the state Assembly this week amid a war of words with Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal who called off the meeting at the last moment with top officials of the state government saying the draft was weak and ineffective.