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Standing Committee on Lok Pal has 'betrayed' nation: Bhushan

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

Team Anna member Shanti Bhushan today launched a frontal attack on the Parliamentary Standing Committee that went into the Lok Pal Bill, accusing it of "betraying" the nation by suggesting "snatching away" of the power of investigation from the proposed anti-corruption watchdog.

"We knew that Abhishek Singhvi is an able lawyer but did not know that he is also a magician.

"The authority of investigation that was given to the Lok Pal in the Bill has been snatched away. This is betrayal of the nation," Bhushan, a former Law Minister, said addressing the gathering at Jantar Mantar, the venue of Anna Hazare's fast here.

He said Team Anna was "not adamant" that only Jan Lok Pal Bill should be passed by Parliament but it wants its "spirit" to be retained in the proposed law.

Bhushan's son and another Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan accused the government of not consulting the stakeholders before taking decision like allowing FDI in retail sector.

"The government is planning to build nuclear power plants in Jaitapur and other places for generation of power at a cost of thousands of lakhs of rupees. Why this is happening? Why can't we generate power through thermal plants?" he asked.

"The government took the decision to allow FDI in retail sector without consulting the people of the country. It would have only benefited some American companies," he said.

He also said the Prime Minister was only concerned about economic growth.

 

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First Published: Dec 11 2011 | 2:27 PM IST

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