Civil society activist Anna Hazare met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and sought her support for the enacting of a strong Lokpal on Saturday, a day before the all-party meet on the draft of the proposed Lokpal Bill.
With the NDA, minus the Shiv Sena, deciding to attend the all-party meet on Sunday, the stage is set for a serious political discussion on the contentious provisions of the bill. Mr Hazare, in his meeting with Mrs Gandhi, pressed for the inclusion of the Prime Minister in the ambit of the bill. The NDA is expected to reveal its stand on the issue at Sunday’s meeting.
Emerging from the 30-minute meeting, Mr Hazare said the talks were fruitful and that the Congress president has promised to look into the issue. Mr Hazare swore that he would accept the decision of Parliament on the issue but warned that he would go on a fast if the proper draft was not sent to Parliament. “A proper draft should go to Parliament. Only then will a proper discussion take place. If they send the wrong draft, what kind of discussion will take place? If a proper draft is not sent, we will resume our agitation from August 16,” Anna Hazare said.
RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal accompanied Mr Hazare to his meeting with Mrs Gandhi.
Drafting committee chairman Pranab Mukherjee, senior Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai and Congress media cell chairman Janardhan Dwivedi were also present at the meeting.
The BJP, which is against the inclusion of the PM, remained vague on the issue with Mr L.K. Advani saying, “We will go for the all-party meeting and convey our viewpoint.” He said the BJP wants a bill that results in an effective and strong Lokpal.
Congress party spokesperson Janardhan Dwivedi, briefing the media after the meeting, said the talks took place in a cordial atmosphere and Mrs Gandhi promised to consider the issues raised by Mr Hazare. He added that the party would go by the decision of the government and accept the collective wisdom of Parliament. “The party will go by the decision of the government. We welcome any view that emerges through the collective wisdom of Parliament,” he said.
Replying to a question, Mr Dwivedi emphasised that he never said the meeting was “successful, but that it saw both sides expressing their readiness to consider the views of each other”.
Bringing the Prime Minister and the higher judiciary within the purview of the Lokpal bill has sparked serious differences between government and civil society representatives.
The Shiv Sena has decided to boycott Sunday’s meeting though NDA working chairman L.K. Advani said efforts are on to persuade the Shiv Sena to attend. The NDA, however, indicated it would respond only to a draft legislation approved by the Union Cabinet and introduced in Parliament.
Mr Advani said the Sena was under the impression that the NDA might not attend the all-party meeting and, therefore, it had held a meeting of its leaders and had decided to boycott it. Senior Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete informed BJP leaders of his party’s decision on Saturday.
The NDA urged the government to come out with a final draft of the bill soon so that it can be placed before Parliament. Mr Advani said the Leaders of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and in Rajya Sabha, Ms Sushma Swaraj and Mr Arun Jaitley, respectively, along with JD(U) chief and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav, will attend the all-party meeting.
NDA leaders discussed both versions of the draft Lokpal bill, one by the civil society representatives and the other by the government’s representatives, at a meeting at Mr Advani’s residence that was attended by Ms Swaraj, Mr Jaitley, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, senior JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari and SAD leader Rattan Singh Ajnala.
Sources disclosed that the BJP is apprehensive about whether the bill will in any way affect the federal structure. Party leaders have also raised concerns with their top brass on issues like whether MPs would continue to enjoy the legal immunity they do for acts in Parliament once the Lokpal is appointed. Senior BJP leaders had met Anna Hazare and his associates on Friday to discuss both versions of the draft Lokpal Bill.