Jaya echoes Centre,says PM can’t be under Lokpal

“Secondly,the Lokpal can be used by foreign powers to destabilise the government. When a frivolous and politically motivated complaint against the PM is referred before the Lokpal and if the same is telecast by the TV channels,which run it round the clock,it will dent the PM’s credibility and authority. Even if nothing comes out of it (allegations),it will seriously dent the authority of PM,” Jayalalithaa said in an interview to Times Now.

Jayalalithaa is the third chief minister to speak against giving the Lokpal powers to investigate the Prime Minister. Her remarks are completely in tune with the Centre’s own opinion on the matter.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal have earlier expressed similar views. Dikshit went to the extent of saying that there is no need for a Lokpal; existing mechanisms can be strengthened to deal with corruption.

Civil society representatives,who forced the government to set up a joint committee to draft the provisions of the Lokpal Bill,are strongly in favour of bringing the Prime Minister within the ambit of the Lokpal.

Jayalalithaa said her intention was to protect the high office of the Prime Minister and not any individual occupying that post.

“Very often we have seen that when someone becomes the Prime Minister,immediately there are a whole lot of people who try to pull him down. We have to guard the high office against such tendencies,” she said.

Tamil Nadu is yet to give its opinion to the Centre on the Lokpal legislation. “The state’s view can be formulated only after the final draft Lokpal bill is presented in Parliament,” Jayalalithaa said.

Jayalalithaa also echoed the central government’s views on exempting the CBI from the Right to Information Act. Secrecy is essential in certain matters,she said.

“There are certain areas in government where secrecy has to be maintained. The CBI deals with hardcore criminals and terrorists. If every bit of information sought to be obtained is given,how do you then deal with criminals? Certain amount of secrecy is must,” she said.

On the movements led by Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev,Jayalalithaa said there was nothing wrong in social activism,but it must not seek to create a “parallel government”. She said the midnight forceful eviction of Baba Ramdev by Delhi Police earlier this month was “totally uncalled for” and “unnecessary”.

“It could have been handled with much more tact and in a better manner. It could actually have been ignored,” she said.