He called for special focus on the issues of citizen’s charter, setting up of Lokayukatas at state levels and bringing lower bureaucracy under the ambit of the Lokpal apart from taking up other issues to have an effective and strong Lokpal bill. These issues have been raised by Team Anna through Jan Lokpal bill.
He described these issues as very important and called fortheir due consideration. Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, who made identical statements in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, proposed to adopt a resolution by consensus at the end of the debate. He hoped this may satisfy Anna Hazare brightening the prospects of breaking his fast.
Mr. Mukherjee said that the adopted resolution can be sent to the Standing Committee for its consideration. He however asserted to maintain that the supremacy of Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional framework.
Tracing the sequence of events since Anna Hazare had his agitation this April, Mr. Mukherjee again appealed him to end his fast which entered the 12th day today. Mr Mukherjee said that the government has amply demonstrated that it is sensitive to the common man’s concerns about corruption and renewed its pledge to bring an appropriate legislation in this regard.
He said apart from this, government is committed to bring in transparency in the functioning of public offices. He said during discussions with the political parties after the Joint Drafting Committee exchanged drafts and in the All Party Meeting early this week, it was stressed that the Parliamentary supremacy has to be kept.
He said the Lokpal Bill presented in Parliament and now under consideration of the Parliamentary Standing Committee was discussed with several leaders of political parties. Mr. Mukherjee said that there were six points on which Team Anna differed with the government representatives.
Participating in the debate, leader of the Opposition Mrs. Sushma Swaraj strongly pleaded to include Prime Minister in the ambit of the Lokpal barring issues regarding national security and public order.
She also advocated for bringing in reforms in higher judiciary. She said BJP has already suggested the setting up of a National Judicial Commission for the purpose. Mrs Swaraj said that the anti-corruption wing of CBI must be brought under the purview of the Lokpal. Team Anna has also made a similar demand.
Supporting all the three demands of Team Anna, Mrs Swaraj said common people are suffering due to corruption at lower level of bureaucracy. She said bringing this section of employees under its ambit will send a strong message. She also partially supported the demand of Team Anna on bringing the conduct of MPs under Lokpal.
She made it clear that outside Parliament these members are like common citizens.
This will ensure that their conduct outside the House is covered under Lokpal. On setting up of Lokayukts at state level, she said an enabling provision can be kept to allow state governments to set up these institutions with model bill of Lokpal in place.
Mrs Swaraj said that the selection process for appointment of Lokpal should not be dominated by the government and proposed to have more members from outside.
Participating in the debate Mr. Sandeep Dixit of Congress supported of the three main points of bringing lower bureaucracy under Lokpal, setting up of Lokayukatas in States with an enabling provision besides preparing citizen charter. He agreed that the selection process for Lokpal can reviewed and conduct of members of Parliament outside the House can be under the ambit of Lokpal.
He said that it has been already agreed that there will be a separate mechanism to deal with judiciary and a judicial accountability bill is on the anvil. He, however, said that the independence of judiciary has to be protected. Mr. Dixit said that there is a need to have separate mechanism to deal with malpractices in corporate sector and NGOs.
Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha, Revti Raman Singh of SP and Dara Singh Chauhan of BSP supported measures to check the menace of corruption. They pleaded to take special care of scheduled castes and scheduled Tribes while dealing with this issue. They however maintained silence on the three demands.
Participating in the debate in the Lok Sabha, Revti Raman Singh of SP and Dara Singh Chauhan of BSP supported measures to check the menace of corruption. They pleaded to take special care of scheduled castes and scheduled Tribes while dealing with this issue. They however maintained silence on the three demands.
The debate is continuing.