MARGAO: Goa Forward Party Chief Vijai Sardesai on Thursday said that the State government wants to institutionalise corruption by making Lokayukta toothless.

He was speaking on the nine amendments moved to the Goa Lokayukta Act by the State government. Addressing a press conference at Goemkar Ghor, Sardesai said that the nine amendments approved and which will be brought to the Assembly session is a plan to make the Lokayukta a toothless tiger.

He suggested that the government wants to institutionalise the obvious corruption that prevails.

Sardesai reminded of the 21 reports provided by Justice Mishra, former Goa Lokayukta, which were against the senior officials and politicians in this government.

“We have moved a private member bill on January 13 for the amendment of the Act aiming at giving the Lokayukta the powers to deliver decisions which are mandatory and also powers to convict the wrongdoings sincerely. The State Government moves an antipodal amendment to the same Act,” said Sardesai.

“We were giving power to the people through Lokayukta to deal with the allegations against the government sincerely. The former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had to resign after the Lokayukta named him in the mining scam. He is back as the Chief Minister of Karnataka. This means BJP is not a party with a difference but a different party all together,” mocked Sardesai.

Lambasting the Government of Goa for the proposed amendments, he said that the Chief Minister wants to make his Cabinet ministers Atmanirbhar and Swayampurna. The government wants to make corruption Swayampurna and Atmanirbhar so that no one can touch his Ministers.

The Goa Forward Chief said that this is nothing other than the abolition of the Lokayukta.

“I will mention in Assembly session to better abolish rather than keeping this toothless Act,” he added.