Govt. not serious on Lokpal, alleges Sisodia

Shimla/New Delhi, May 21 (ANI): Team Anna member Manish Sisodia on Monday lashed out at the Congress-led UPA Government for dramatizing the whole issue surrounding the passage of an effective Lokpal Bill.

"The government is somewhere dramatising the issue. The government is pretending to be serious about the Bill just two days before the session is coming to an end. The government only wants to show it to the public that it is serious, but it is actually not serious," said Sisodia.

"Had the government been serious over the issue, we would have had debates on the Bill after December 29 (2011), and the parties would have discussed it and then it would have come in the Parliament at the right time. Now what is the point bringing it on the right time," he added.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that his party is in favour of a strong and effective Lokpal Bill.

"The BJP is fully committed for a strong Lokpal Bill. However, in what form and structure is the government bringing the Bill can only be said after it is finalized," he said.

The controversial Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill was today referred tothe Select Committee of Rajya Sabha, further delaying the setting up of the anti-graft ombudsman which has been hanging fire for 42 years.

The Bill, on which debate had remained inconclusive in the Rajya Sabha during the last Winter Session, was referred to the Select Committee through a motion soon after Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), V. Narayanasamy, moved it for consideration and passage.

Opposition parties, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left Front and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), today took the UPA II Government to task in the Rajya Sabha for attempting to move the controversial Lokpal Bill to a Select Committee without a debate or discussion on the floor of the House.

The Lokpal Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session of Parliament in December 2011.

The Rajya Sabha broke up for recess on December 29, 2011 without voting on the bill to create a Lokpal before the deadline set by activist Anna Hazare, who led a campaign for the measure. (ANI)