New Delhi, August 28: Call it a coincidence, but the son of an MP, who coined the term ‘Lokpal' and introduced the concept of an ombudsman in India, now heads the Parliamentary panel looking into the bill for creation of the anti-corruption watchdog.
It was 31-year-old L.M. Singhvi, father of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who in the early 1960s coined the term ‘Lokpal' and demanded its creation.
The then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru had jestfully asked Singhvi, who was repeatedly urging for creation of an Ombudsman, “To what zoo does this animal belong? Dr Singhvi you must indigenize it“.
The young turk, who could converse in Sanskrit, then coined the Hindi word ‘Lokpal' and its associate ‘Lokayukt'.
Mr. Singhvi campaigned ceaselessly for a Lokpal bill from 1963 to 1967, but since he was an independent MP, he could not get any legislation through.
It was only when he left Parliament and continued with his campaign for Lokpal, the government moved the first bill through the then Home Minister Y.B. Chavan in 1969. But, it could not go to Rajya Sabha as Parliament was dissolved.
Now, it is over to his son and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi-headed committee to take a call on the three demands of Anna Hazare which were referred to it by Parliament on Saturday, ending the impasse between the government and civil society over Jan Lokpal bill. PTI
