Lokpal meet: Kharge again declines invite

Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, has once again refused to attend the meeting of the selection committee for the appointment of the Lokpal convened on Tuesday just as a "special invitee," reiterating his stand to skip an earlier meeting on March 1.

In a 2-page letter to Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday, he said it was disappointing not to acknowledge his earlier letter nor address the serious concerns he has raised.

He summarised his concerns in the new letter, asserting that as an invitee he would have no right to participate or vote and as such calling him to the meeting was to mislead the nation and the people with a farce as if the Opposition participated in the selection of the Lokpal.

"To participate in this charade while your government runs roughshod over the intent and spiri of Lokpal Act would amount to dereliction of my constitutional duty," he said.

He said the people should know that the government has wasted four precious years in the fight against corruption by not amending the Lokpal Act to include the leader of the single largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, as he is, as a member of the selection committee.

An amendment bill for the purpose was approved by Parliament's select committee but till date the government has not bothered to list it for debate or voting, Kharge said.