India’s anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal has opened a tender for 7 uber-luxurious BMW sedans, worth ₹5 crore. The seven cars would be for each member, including the Chairperson, who is the former Supreme Court Justice Ajay Manikrao Khanwilkar. As per media reports, the BMW makers have also offered 7 days’ training to Lokpal drivers and staff, for smooth operation.
What notification floated?
In a notification that was released on October 16, it was mentioned that the Lokpal of India invites open tenders from reputed agencies for supply of seven BMW 3 Series Li cars to the Lokpal of India. The tender also mentioned that the offer will be open for 90 days from the date of opening.
This notification has drawn a wave of criticism online; a very well-known activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan was also among those who criticised the tender. “By appointing servile members who are not bothered by graft and are happy with their luxuries. They are now buying ₹70L BMW cars for themselves!”
One of the users of X wrote, “They (are) buying a car worth ₹70 lakh. They can even buy a Rolls-Royce worth ₹12 crore… but they are not, because they are simple, down-to-earth people. That is why they went for BMW instead…”
Congress youth wing also attacked the move, saying, “The institution of Lokpal, once a symbol of accountability, lies in ruins… Why is the government buying luxury foreign cars for a body that is missing key appointments?”
Is Lokpal diverted from the original mission?
In 2013 Lokpal was established after there was a nationwide Jan Lokpal movement led by Anna Hazare, and Lokpal was envisioned as the most powerful watchdog on corruption. However, over 10 years now, there have been serious doubts on whether the body has drifted away from the original mission. Although Lokpal has a wide jurisdiction covering top officials, ministers, and MPs, the body hasn’t till date handled any high-profile cases. There have been many criticisms on limited transparency, and lack of proactive action; many have even asked if the People’s Defender is living or dead.
