New Delhi:
Just a few hours after Anna Hazare shot off another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accusing the government of betrayal, Dr Singh has said the government is determined to pass the Lokpal Bill in this session of Parliament and is working day and night to shape the bill.
"No one should doubt out sincerity in passing the bill in this season," the PM said.
The Centre is planning to introduce the Lokpal Bill in Parliament next week, before the ongoing session ends on December 22. "The Bill will be in the cabinet tomorrow, and introduced in Parliament on Monday, thereafter it is up to Parliament to take it up. We don't know what could happen," Dr Singh said.
Earlier today,
Mr Hazare, in his letter, said that the government's draft of the bill is not strong and alleged that the Centre is not keen to let go of control of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "Lokpal is toothless without the CBI under it", he has said in his letter. (
Read the full letter)
The inclusion of the CBI under the ambit of the Lokpal is one of the key demands that the 74-year-old Gandhian has been pressing for. But he along with his team of activists, popularly known as Team Anna, have been miffed over the CBI being kept out of the Lokpal's jurisdiction in the latest draft of the bill prepared by the Parliament's Standing Committee which was tasked with studying the proposed legislation. The Lokpal is an ombudsman meant to tackle cases of graft among government servants.
Mr Hazare has also raised questions over the selection process of the nine-member Lokpal as recommended by the Standing Committee.
Expressing hope that the Prime Minister would respect the commitment he made during his fast in August, Mr Hazare reiterated his warning of beginning yet another fast on December 27 if the promises weren't fulfilled - of passing a strong Lokpal Bill in the current session of Parliament. He also reminded the PM of his earlier threat to begin a "jail bharo" across India from January 1.