Over 10% of Lokpal’s budget to go on BMWs; Kiran Bedi calls it ‘truly avoidable’ decision

Kiran Bedi

Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has slammed the move of anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal floating tender to procure seven luxurious BMW cars. Speaking with News18, she termed the decision “truly avoidable” and emphasised that the Lokpal “was not created for extravagance.”

Bedi had previously participated in a 2013 dharna with activist Anna Hazare to press for a Lokpal.

“Respecting people’s sentiments, Lokpal must say we are now going to buy swadeshi cars…when the Prime Minister is emphasising swadeshi then why is Lokpal buying foreign cars…don’t we have good Indian-made cars? The Lokpal decision is totally against the swadeshi mission of PM Modi," Kiran Bedi said.

She also told News18 that the Lokpal has failed to deliver on the mandate for which it was established. “Everybody was looking up to the Lokpal for what it was formed. Lokpal was born out of a spirit of integrity, honesty, and diligence. It was not created for extravagance. I think the Lokpal has not delivered," Bedi, who once championed Jan Lokpal, said, asking the institution to opt for Swadeshi electric cars.

This came after Lokpal floated a tender to procure seven luxurious BMW cars, collectively worth around Rs 5 crore. This could mean spending over 10 per cent of its annual budget.

Documents cited by News18 show that the Lokpal’s budget for 2025-26 stands at Rs 44.32 crore. In 2023-24, Rs 12 lakh had been earmarked for “motor vehicles,” but no funds were actually spent, the report mentioned. Previously, the Lokpal had not recorded any motor vehicle expenses.

The Opposition, too, has slammed the move, with leaders accusing the "guardians of integrity" of "chasing luxury over legitimacy".

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh took a sharp dig at the Lokpal, saying the institution is now a "Shauq pal", a play on the Urdu word that loosely translates to pursuing personal interests or indulgences.

Ramesh also questioned the Lokpal's investigative track record, asking what significant arrests or probes it has accomplished.

Speaking with PTI, the Congress leader said a false narrative was created against the Manmohan Singh government with Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, "India Against Corruption" and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) indulging in propaganda, and added that now, the reality of the Lokpal is before the people of the country.

Senior Congress leader and former home minister P Chidambaram wondered that when Supreme Court judges are given modest sedans, why do the chairman and six members of the Lokpal require BMW cars.

"Why spend public money to acquire these cars? I hope that at least one or two members of the Lokpal have refused, or will refuse, to accept these cars," Chidambaram said in a post on X.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also lashed out at the Lokpal for inviting tenders from reputed agencies for the supply of seven BMW 3 Series Li cars.

"Gazab ka Jokepal at Indian taxpayers expense. Oh btw what happened to Swadesi call by GoI?" she asked in a post on X.