Lokpal: Team Anna, Govt still differ on 3 points

Mtoday news / CNN-IBN

New Delhi, August 23: Team Anna has hinted that Government may agree that the Prime Minister be brought under the Lokpal’s ambit while revealing that the two sides still differ over three key issues related to the anti-corruption legislation. Anna Hazare’s close associates Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan met Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday evening to discuss and arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal issue.

 

 

After meeting Mukherjee, Team Anna addressed Hazare supporters at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi that there are still three points of contention between the two sides. The three issues are: firstly lower bureaucracy should come under the ambit of the Lokpal; secondly every state should have its own Lokpal, and thirdly there should be a Citizen’s Charter.

Kejriwal said that Team Anna made it clear to the Government that either they recall their version of the Lokpal Bill from Parliament or let it lapse.

"Prime Minister’s letter said that Jan Lokpal Bill be given to Standing Committee. This is not acceptable to us. We have told them that either they recall the Government bill or let it lapse," Kejriwal said. He added that the Government must introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by Team Anna in Parliament and ensure that it is passed.

Prashant Bhushan said that the Government had agreed to the Lokpal carrying out anti-corruption investigations and that they did not raise any objection to bringing the Prime Minister under its ambit.

"The Government has agreed that all anti-corruption investigations will be done by the Lokpal. They have not raised any objection about getting the Prime Minister under the ambit of the Lokpal," Bhushan said.

At the meeting the Government was represented by Mukherjee, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Congress MP from East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, Sandeep Dikshit. Immediately after the meet Khurshid said that the dialogue was a fruitful one and there will be another meeting on Wednesday morning.

Soon after the meeting between Team Anna and the Government ended, the Prime Minister called an emergency meeting at his residence.