New Delhi: As expected, the all-party meeting called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Lokpal bill couldn’t reach to any consensus, while asserting the supremacy of the parliament in a democratic setup. However, they all appeal the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare to end his fast.
In the meeting, PM Singh discussed the conditions put forth by Team Anna that asked the government to immediately withdraw the Lokpal Bill and table the Jan Lokpal Bill in its original version within four days without referring it to the Parliamentary standing committee.
The government, however, has communicated with a statement that some of the provisions underlined in the Jan Lokpal Bill needs a wider political consensus. Meanwhile, the Department of Personnel has forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliament Standing Committee for consideration.
The opposition, including Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left, maintaining their stand on the need of a stronger Lokpal, asked the government to take back its already presented Lokpal bill and introduce a more powerful one keeping in view of the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by the civil society.
Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj expressed the importance of a national consensus on the Lokpal bill while demanding the government to present an effective Lokpal bill and to persuade Anna Hazare to end his fast.
Interacting with the media persons just after the all-party meeting, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told that a new bill should be introduced which should have some of the key features of the Jan Lokpal Bill. He also informed that the Government has agreed to withdraw its Lokpal Bill.
An official statement released just after the meeting reads as: “This meeting of all parties in Parliament requests Shri Anna Hazare to end his fast. The meeting was also of the view that due consideration should be given to the Jan Lokpal Bill so that the Final Draft of the Lokpal Bill provides for a strong and effective Lokpal which is supported by a broad national consensus.”
Even though there has been no all-party resolution on Lokpal Bill, all political parties rejected the possibility of passing Jan Lokpal Bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, as demanded by Team Anna.
Also, there has been another unsuccessful round of talk between the civil society and the government representatives in an attempt to reach some consensus, as the Gandhian is on his indefinite fast with growing health concern, even though he is under constant medical observation.
In particular, the prime concern is the health of the 74-year-old Gandhian Hazare (74) who is approaching the 10th day of his indefinite fast. Earlier on Wednesday, to the relief of his thousands of supporters in the Ramlila Ground here in Delhi, Anna told: “nothing will happen to me, I can fast for another nine days. We will fight together."
|
|
Comments:
