Tapes show lack of consensus
The audio tapes released by the government on the joint drafting committee on Monday clearly indicate that a consensus on the contentious issues continued to elude both the sides.
The Union finance minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, who was the chairman of the joint drafting committee had made it clear that the bill has to go through parliamentary procedure.
Addressing one of the meetings, Mr Mukherjee as heard on the tape saying: “If the Members of the Parliament do not agree, we will not be able to do it.” Mr Mukherjee said, “We shall have to work towards a political consensus.”
Mr Mukherjee, however, told the civil society members in the committee that the “message should be that we are working together and we are on the same platform.” The HRD minister, Mr Kapil Sibal had also been assuring that the government will “try to complete by June 30 (this year).”
The nine tapes in CD format covering as many meetings of the drafting committee, which was constituted after activist Anna Hazare’s fast in April, were provided in response to an application filed by activist Subhash Agrawal under the Right ti Information Act.
Mr Mukherjee also told the meeting that the “basic objective is to draft the Lokpal Bill, so that Parliament can debate on it. That is the ultimate objective.”
Anna Hazare, who was present in the meetings, however, kept on harping on “videography” and “corruption pe brake lagana hai (we have to put a brake on corruption)”.
During the final round of discussions, Mr Mukherjee said: “Henceforth I’ll place both the drafts for the consideration of the discussion. Not consideration… consideration will be done only in Parliament. The government will have to look into it before they give their approval for introduction.”
To that Arvind Kejriwal one of the member of the JDC said: “Cabinet will have to select one of them.” Mr Mukherjee then makes it clear: “Or a combination of both.”
The tapes with poor audio quality go on debating about the bill and after the series of meetings, one of which was boycotted by Team Anna, the two sides failed to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal Bill, leading to the confrontation and Mr Hazare’s second round of fast at the Ramlila Maidan.
The 10-member committee included five from the civil society.
The members of the civil society who were in the panel were Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal, senior lawyers Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, and Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde.
Shanti Bhushan was the co-chairman along with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee.
The government was represented by Mr Mukh-erjee, law minister Salman Khurshid, telecom-munications minister Kapil Sibal, Veerappa Moily and home minister P. Chidambaram.
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