With government claiming that it was committed towards bringing a robust Lokpal bill in the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the Joint Drafting Committee (JDC) on Monday met without the members of the civil society. The civil
society members boycotted the Monday meeting of the JDC on the pretext of “suspicious intent” of the government. But the government hit back, saying the Anna Hazare’s team was raising “extraneous” issues.
Expressing government’s resolve to enact a robust anti-graft law, Union minister Kapil Sibal, who is one of the members from the government side in the committee, asserted the committee would continue its work to draft a strong Lokpal and finish it by June 30 for introduction in Monsoon Session of Parliament “whether or not someone” comes for the meetings. The next date for the meeting of the JDC has been fixed for June 15, Mr Sibal informed, adding that he expected that the civil society members would attend it.
Following the fifth meeting of JDC on May 30, the two sides — civil society and the government — engaged themselves in war of words over various provisions in the bill, which resulted in a kind of acrimony between the two. Then came the Saturday midnight crack down on protesting Baba Ramdev and as a result of these five civil society members in the committee boycotted the meeting. However, government members went ahead with the meeting. This has now left a question mark on the continuity of the JDC, despite both sides pledging to work towards a strong anti-graft law.
Citing the Saturday midnight incident at Ramlila Ground here, Anna Hazare-led team said, it reflected government’s “suspicious intent” and “fraud” with regard to fighting corruption.
Hours before the meeting, JDC co-chairman Shanti Bhushan also alleged that government practically wants to leave everyone out of Lokpal’s ambit — Prime Minister, horse trading of MPs, middle and lower bureaucracy and judiciary.
Strongly hitting back, Mr Sibal said, “Many issues, which they have raised, are very extraneous and have nothing to do with the proceedings of the committee.”
Particularly mentioning about Hazare raising the issue of Ramlila Maidan incident, Mr Sibal wondered, how it was linked with drafting of the bill.
Also taking strong objection to the language used by the Anna Hazare team, Mr Sibal said the discourses made was not the discourse of the civil society.
“Anna Hazare says we are indulging in fraud...The kind of names we have been called: cheats, lies, conspirators. This comes when we have actually said nothing. We reject in the strongest possible terms the allegations made by Anna Hazare’s team. This is just not acceptable. We hope in future this kind of discourse is not conducted outside in the public arena,” the minister said.
Anna Hazare’s associate Arvind Kejriwal, who is also a member of the committee, said they never used this kind of language. “We will discuss this and may be adequately respond to that tomorrow,” he said.
Mr Sibal said if the five government representatives have differences with the civil society members, “it does not imply that our intentions are not pure”. He said, “...Then what is our need? It means that whatever they say should be accepted. If this is the reason the drafting committee was formed, then what is its utility?”
The Minister, however, added that the absence of the committee members from the meeting does not indicate a “stalemate”. He said, “They had asked for another date as Mr Hazare is busy between June 9 and 11. Therefore, instead of June 10, the committee will meet again on June 15.”
Meanwhile, the Left parties on Monday refused to answer a questionnaire on the provisions of Lokpal Bill sent by the JDC chairman and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. While CPI-M said the government can seek the party’s views on the bill when it is presented to Parliament, CPI said it will state their views and suggestions during the discussion on the issue in the House.