on Thursday to convince the common people across the country about their view points. Amid the glare of camera both the group put their point vociferously to oppose each other. The body language and the statements of civil society members at Press Club and the government representatives at the Shastri Bhavan here reflected that the two groups have stretch too far to come back to the negotiating table any time soon.

Both sides bitterly opposed to the other’s view, the stage is set for another round of anti-corruption agitation by Anna Hazare even as the Government hit back at the civil society members asking them to respect the political process.

Cabinet ministers Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and Salman Khurshid addressed the press to explain their side even as Hazare and his supporters termed the Lokpal Bill as a jokepal bill.

The Government hopes it will get the Opposition’s support on not including the Prime Minister under the Lokpal’s purview.

The Government side said that it is committed to draft a strong and sound Lokpal Bill by 30th of this month to fight corruption.

Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram said that the bill is intended to put in place a strong institution to combat corruption. He said that it is a complex bill and a holistic approach should be adopted in drafting the same. He expressed the hope that the Civil Society members in the Joint Drafting Committee will extend full cooperation in achieving the task. Mr. Chidambaram, however, added that discussions on the issue cannot be reduced to double choices.

In reply to a question the Home Minister said that laws are made by elected representatives not only from the Congress party but the entire political spectrum. When asked to comment on Mr. Anna Hazare’s resolve to sit on fast again, if a weak bill is passed, Mr. Chidambaram said that ‘fasting is not the way of drafting the bill’.

Speaking on the same subject Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said that there are serious differences of opinion with civil society members on some aspects of the bill including the structure of the Lokpal and its jurisdiction.

On the question of inclusion of Prime Minister and MPs under the ambit of the bill, the Minister said that the issue is still open for discussion as several views have emerged and they have also to consult political parties in this regard. He also clarified that no two drafts will be sent to the Cabinet but a single draft will be presented with two alternatives wherever differences of opinion persist.