Jairam Ramesh ridicules Modi on Lokayukta

New Delhi – Taking on the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh Monday said the Gujarat chief minister’s comments about Lokayukta were akin to “Asaram (Bapu) talking about virginity”.

Spiritual guru Asaram Bapu is facing charges of sexually assaulting a minor.

Jairam Ramesh was replying to a question on Modi’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi on the issue of Lokpal bill at a rally in Uttarakhand Sunday.

Modi questioned why Congress, which is now pushing for the Lokpal bill in parliament, did not implement the Lokayukta Act in Uttarakhand which was brought in by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party government headed by B.C. Khanduri.

Jairam Ramesh said Modi did not have a right to speak on the Lokpal bill, as he did not appoint a Lokayukt! a for 10 years in his own state.

“A guy who didn’t appoint a Lok! ayukta for 10 years is hardly the person to speak about Lokayukta. For 10 years, he didn’t appoint a Lokayukta and he is giving ‘updesh’ (sermons) on Lokayukta. This is like Asaram talking about virginity,” the union minister said at a press conference here.

Asaram Bapu, charged with sexually assaulting a minor, is in judicial custody in Jodhpur since his arrest in September.

Jairam Ramesh termed Uttarakhand’s Lokayukta Act a “joke”.

The Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill was passed unanimously by the state assembly in November 2011, after Khanduri took over the reins in the state for the second time.

Though given presidential assent after a two-year wait in September this year, the act is yet to be implemented in Uttarakhand as Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna wants to bring it into force only with certain amendments.