Lucknow, Dec 13 (IANS): Pressing for the inclusion of the prime minister, the CBI and Group 3 and 4 government employees in the Lokpal bill, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati declared Tuesday that her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) would oppose the legislation in its present form.
"Our party is going to oppose the bill in its present form," Mayawati said at a press conference, virtually echoing the demand of Team Anna.
Mayawati, whose BSP has 21 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 18 in the Rajya Sabha, also said she wanted the Scheduled Castes to be given due representation in the Lokpal (Ombudsman).
Her declaration came as a surprise, as she had initially expressed reservations against Hazare's movement and his demands.
"These views will be voiced by my representative at the all-party meeting convened on the Lokpal issue in New Delhi tomorrow," Mayawati said, stressing that she wants the prime minister, government employees and the central government controlled Central Bureau of Investigation placed under the purview of Lokpal.
"CBI must be brought under the jurisdiction of Lokpal to prevent misuse of the agency by the central government."
"I am all for a strong, effective and meaningful Lokpal Bill that would serve the larger interest of the vast majority of the country."
"In case the central government fails to modify its draft and does not concede our demand to include the prime minister as well as Group 3 and 4 employees within the ambit of Lokpal, the Bahujan Samaj Party will just not support the bill," she said.
Lashing out at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, the chief minister said it was clearly evident from its attitude that it was "was out to mislead the people of the country about the Lokpal bill simply because its real intent was to shield its corrupt ministers".
Proclaiming her own government to be the only one in the country to have dealt with both corruption and crime with a stern hand, Mayawati said: "We have not spared anybody, including several of my ministers, MPs or legislators... if they were found to be involved in criminal or in corrupt activities."
Highlighting the recognition and significance that she gave to the institution of the Lokayukta, she sought to point out: "We have always given due importance to the Lokayukta's reports and ordered serious action even against our ministers - something that both Congress and BJP governments in other states cannot boast of."
On Sunday, Anna Hazare went on a daylong fast in the national capital and found support in eight parties but not the BSP.