New Delhi June 15: The anti-corruption Lokpal Bill drafting committee will meet in New Delhi on Wednesday even as the talks between the civil society members and Government representatives have reached a stalemate over whether the post of the Prime Minister should come under the proposed bill’s ambit.
So far the Lokpal Bill drafting committee has met six times but the differences between then have only grown. The fifth meeting on the May 30 was disastrous with talks being stalemated and the sixth meet on June 6 saw civil society members boycotting it. On June 8 the civil society members led by veteran Gandhian Anna Hazare held a protest fast at Raj Ghat, with both sides indulging in a slanging match.
The talks between the two sides have stalled as the Government wants the Prime Minister and higher judiciary kept out of purview of Lokpal where as the Hazare-led anti-corruption crusaders have made it clear that the Lokpal should investigate corruption allegations against the Prime Minister as well as higher judiciary.
The Government wants Parliament to handle allegations of bribery and misconduct against MPs while the civil society is of the opinion that such allegations should be investigated by the Lokpal.
Another point of contention between the Government and the civil society is over allegations made against the MPs over their conduct outside Parliament. While the Government wants that such allegations should be forwarded to the Speaker, the civil society has demanded that the Lokpal should investigate all allegations against the MPs – whether inside or outside Parliament
The Government also wants the Lokpal should investigate allegations of corruption only against higher levels of bureaucracy while the civil society wants it to probe corruption allegations against all levels of bureaucracy
The two sides even do not see eye to eye on the issue of merging anti-corruption wing of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Central Vigilance Commission and Departmental Vigilance with the Lokpal. While the government wants these bodies to maintain their separate identity, the Hazare brigade has been demanding their merger with the Lokpal.
However, despite differences on so many issues, Hazare supporter and social activist Swami Agnivesh is hopeful that the talks will be fruitful.
“The differences are media hype. These have nothing to do with the issues to be discussed. I am hopeful that the talks will be fruitful,” said Agnivesh.
“If there is a Judicial Accountability Bill that can be subjected to scrutiny then that can be considered. As about the Prime Minister being under the purview of the Lokpal bill, the PM should offer himself or the PMO to be under the Lokpal bill. I don’t see much of a difference between the opinions. Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj has said that she will support it,” he said.
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ashwani Kumar said that the Government was committed to bring a credible Lokpal Bill and sought the cooperation of the civil society in coming up with a strong anti-corruption legislation.
However, Kumar added that if the civil society continued to be stubborn the Government will go ahead alone.
“We are committed to bringing a purposive, credible Lokpal Bill, and we shall do so in cooperation with members of the civil society, if possible and without them, if necessary,” said Kumar.
“Our Government is open to all ideas and there are weighty arguments for the PM, same as all other constitutional functionaries like the President, Vice-President, Speaker and Supreme Court judges should be kept outside the purview of the Lokpal for the simple reason that the realities of ground politics as practised in India has demonstrated in the last several years, that the provisions of any good legislation are likely to be abused and misused. The least you can do is to ensure not to maker the chief political executive vulnerable to malicious, false, motivated prosecutions. It is through the mandate of the constitution that we remain committed to certain procedures of law making and no number of threats from any individual or organisation will make us depart from established parliamentary procedures,” he said.
He hoped that “better sense will prevail” when asked about the deadline of August 15 set by Hazare for passing the Lokpal Bill by Parliament.
—Agencies