‘Rajasthan govt institutionalising corruption': Congress on ordinance shielding babus

The Congress on Saturday lashed out at the Vasundhara Raje-led government in Rajasthan for passing an ordinance which seeks to protect government servants from being investigated for on-duty action.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot told news agency ANI that the state government is trying to safeguard the interest of people through whom they conduct corruption scandals in Rajasthan.

"Absolutely shocked by how state govt is trying to institutionalise corruption," he said.

The Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated on September 7, also seeks to bar the media from reporting on accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe is obtained.

"No magistrate shall order an investigation nor will any investigation be conducted against a person, who is or was a judge or a magistrate or a public servant," reads the ordinance which provides 180 days immunity to the officers.

If there is no decision on the sanction request post the stipulated time period, it will automatically mean that sanction has been granted. The ordinance amends the Criminal Code of Procedure, 1973 and also seeks curb on publishing and printing or publicising, in any case, the name, address, photograph, family details of the public servants. Violating the clause would call for two years imprisonment.

OneIndia News