PM wants broad consensus on Lokpal
Source: The Sangai Express / (Agencies)
New Delhi, August 20 2011:
Affirming that there was a "lot of scope for give and take" on the Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the government was open to "discussion and dialogue" on the issue.
Calling for a broad national consensus on the controversial issue, Singh expressed the hope that the government can enlist the cooperation of "all thinking segments of Indian public opinion to ensure that the end product is a strong and effective Lokpal which all sections of our community want" .
The Prime Minister was answering questions from the media at the conclusion of the full meeting of the Planning Commission at his residence to approve the Approach Paper of the 12th Five Year Plan.
Singh said the government has presented a Lokpal Bill which was the demand of all political parties when he had convened an all party conference on the issue.
"They said we cannot give you our viewpoint unless and until you come out with a draft.
We have fulfilled that obligation.
"But we are open to discussion and dialogue.
We like a broad national consensus to emerge.
We are all in favour of a Lokpal, which is strong and which is effective," he said.
Asked about Anna Hazare's demand that the Jan Lokpal should be passed by Parliament by August 30, the Prime Minister said, "Well, clearly I think there are difficulties.
It is a logic of the legislative process" .
He said certain stages have to be crossed and "I would not like to say or controvert anything else that has been said by somebody else" .
But, Singh said, he hoped that people will appreciate that there is a dynamic of the legislative process which takes time sometimes.
"But we must all work together to push forward the case for a strong effective Lokpal and whatever obstacles that come in the way should be removed.
There should be a commitment which all segments of political parties must honour and work towards it," he said.
Meanwhile, as Anna Hazare continued his protest fast, a parliamentary standing committee today invited public suggestions on the Lokpal Bill.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal dismissed it as an attention diverting tactic.
The Parliamentary Standing committee on Personnel, Public grievances, Law and Justice, which is to suggest amendments to the Lokpal Bill, published advertisements in leading newspapers, seeking ideas and suggestions on the bill.
"The committee has decided to invite memoranda containing views/suggestions from individuals, organisations interested in the subject matter of the bill and also hear select oral evidence on the subject matter of the bill," the advertisement said.
A time limit of 15 days starting on Saturday has been given to send suggestions.
Chairman of the committee, Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, said the suggestions will be looked into by the committee.
"We have sent an advertisement for all interested to give their frank, open, unbiased views (on the Lokpal bill).
Within manageable limits, we will go through all the suggestions and everything will be looked into," Singhvi said.
He said the civil society members were also invited to give their suggestions.
"We had invited the civil society members as early as 10th of Aug" .
The step is being seen as an attempt to counter the protesting activists who have claimed that public opinion is against the Lokpal Bill introduced by the government.
Team Anna however rejected the call as an attempt to divert attention.
"As far as calling the feedback is concerned it is not a referendum also.
If the government does any referendum, the government bill will be totally trashed by the people.
This is simply diverting attention," Kejriwal said.
The civil society members have urged the parliamentary standing committee to reject the bill.
"We requested the standing committee to completely reject the bill and send it back to the government because there is no time for the standing committee and parliament to waste their precious time in discussing a totally wrong bill," he said.
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