NDA govt adopting 'double standards' on Lokpal: Cong

The Congress today accused the BJP of adopting "double standards" on Lokpal appointment and said the government believes in appropriating power but not accountability and this trend was dangerous for democracy.
The opposition party also accused the government of weakening institutions by not making key appointments and of keeping them "toothless" in a "pre-meditated manner".
Congress spokesperson Gaurav Gogoi said the protection of human rights was becoming "nearly impossible" under the BJP-led NDA government. He also said his party was concerned as all accountability of the government seems to be towards RSS.
He accused the BJP government of "systematically dismantling the checks and balances of our democracy" and dismantling the pillars of transparency and accountability which are important in a modern democracy.

"Otherwise, a very wrong message will go across the country that this BJP government is only about appropriating power and does not want to be held accountable and this is extremely dangerous for our democracy and it shows a very negative trend," he told reporters.
Gogoi alleged that the Constitution has a provision for protection of scheduled castes and tribes and has given power to these Commissions which are now toothless and "in a very pre-meditated manner, they have been kept toothless".

He said a democracy requires a system of checks and balances and human rights are protected by autonomous and powerful institutions.

"With increasing weakening of these institutions, with the weakening of the Constitutional norms and laws, protection of human rights is becoming nearly impossible under Modi Sarkar. And all accountability of the government seems to be to the RSS. We are extremely concerned," he said.
Noting that having a Lokpal would mean that all political parties are open to scrutiny, he said the BJP government does not want them to be held accountable to any other institution except for its political masters - the RSS.
He alleged that BJP ministers preferred going to RSS and giving them report cards instead of being accountable and open to independent scrutiny by the Lokpal. "They only want to be held accountable to RSS".

Talking about "double standards" adopted by BJP, he said, the Lokpal Bill was passed on August 27, 2013 and got assent of the President in 2014 but did not appoint a Lokpal on the plea that there was no Leader of Opposition.
"This mention of the LoP in the Selection Committee is nothing but a delaying tactic from the Central Government," he said, adding that whenever the Centre required it changed the LoP clause as it did in case of CBI director's selection and for passing Delhi Special Police Establishment Bill.
Gogoi said the BJP government has delayed various
appointments like Chief Information Commissioner, CVC, CAG and recent actions show that in institutions like the RBI, its autonomy has come under question.

The Congress leader made an appeal to all sections that a modern democracy needs an independent media, an independent judiciary, an autonomous and a vibrant civil society and "only then collectively can we make a strong democracy".
He also said this government has diluted Whistleblower Protection Act and has moved amendments which says that if documents are related to the Official Secrets Act of 1923, then these documents cannot be released by any whistleblower even if the whistleblower intends to expose corruption, acts of misuse of power and acts of criminal activities.
"They are diluting the Whistleblower Act...Government does not reward the whistleblower, the government punishes the whistleblower," he alleged.