New Delhi, October 11: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has told Anna Hazare that his government is committed to a strong Lokpal bill and hoped that they will be ‘successful’ in passing it soon.
‘As you know, we are committed to a strong Lokpal bill. And we hope that we will be successful in our endeavour in the near future,’ he said in his letter to Hazare that was written on Monday but was released Tuesday.
In his letter, written in Hindi, the prime minister said that his government was working on an ‘exhaustive agenda to fight corruption and improve governance’.
‘This will improve several legal and technical issues. Setting up of Lokpal is part of this exhaustive agenda,’ he said.
‘Our government is also considering several proposals regarding electoral reforms. Among the suggestions that are being considered is the right to reject which you have also mentioned,’ he added.
‘In a democratic society, there is a need for political agreements on certain issues. We want to talk to political parties on suggestions concerning electoral reforms and take forward those measures on which there is broad understanding,’ he said.
The prime minister also expressed his thanks for Hazare’s letter of Sep 21, saying that the activist has appraised him on important issues.
‘I also agree on your suggestion on the need to strengthen the gram sabha,’ he said.
The prime minister also said that they are committed to take forward the implementation of the 73 and 74th amendments to the constitution.
He said the government was working with states to empower gram sabhas.
—–IANS—-