Cabinet decision on CBI autonomy fails to impress BJP

The Union Cabinet's decision to set up a collegium for choosing the CBI Director has not impress BJP which today alleged the government is not serious about granting autonomy to the probe agency and continues to misuse it for its political gains.

'We believe that the government move's to give autonomy to CBI is not only much delayed but is also far from perfect. Government should ensure real and effective autonomy to CBI as per the wish of the people, indicated by the courts and recommended by the Parliamentary committee,' BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi told reporters here.

The Cabinet had approved yesterday a recommendation by a parliamentary panel that the CBI Director should be selected by a collegium comprising of the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.

BJP alleged the Congress-led UPA government has misused and abused CBI not only against political opponents but also to make its allies fall in line.

'If the government is accepting this recommendation for giving more autonomy to CBI, it is because all options- be it from the moral, political, legal or constitutional points of view- were closed for it. Hence, in the absence of any option, the government was bound to do something,' Trivedi said.

Listing the instances where the government allegedly misused CBI, BJP said the agency was 'misused' in 2G spectrum allocation case and in creating hurdles in adoption of the Public Accounts Committee by managing allies SP and BSP whose leaders are facing cases of disproportionate assets.

The main opposition charged that while CBI is used against opponents it goes soft against Congress leaders facing charges--be they social, religious, political or related to economic corruption.