New Delhi:
Anna Hazare's political Lokpal debate at a public venue has sparked a new war of words between the government and the opposition, who will now discuss the anti-corruption Bill next on Wednesday at a meeting called by the Prime Minister.
LK Advani of the BJP has confirmed that he will attend that meeting, which the government has called to ensure that by the time Lokpal Bill is discussed on the floor of the House, it has the approval of all sides and is unlikely to get derailed there. To that meeting, the government hopes to carry the UPA's considered views as a political group emerging from an earlier meeting the same day of all the UPA allies.
Sources said the government plans to offer some proposals on key sticking points at that meeting. On the inclusion of the Prime Minister within the ambit of the Lokpal or ombudsman, the government is likely to suggest that the office be included with safeguards. It is likely to blink too on the issue of including 57 lakh junior bureaucrats, which it has hitherto resisted for being an administrative nightmare.
On the major issue of including the CBI under the Lokpal, sources said, the government was likely to offer that the investigative agency be answerable to the ombudsman for corruption cases only.
Sources said the government would offer to move a constitutional amendment to make these changes effective. The Cabinet note, the sources said, was being put together on this.
But before the political parties try for consensus, the two sides have been hitting out at each other over the main opposition parties accepting Anna Hazare's invitation to debate the Lokpal Bill at the Jantar Mantar venue of his token one-day fast yesterday.
Criticising the participation of Opposition MPs in a public debate on the Lokpal bill at a time when the Parliament is in session, Congress spokesperson Ambika Soni said, "In democracy there is a platform for discussion on every issue. Parliament is the best forum for discussion."
"Raising issues outside Parliament shows opposition's double standards. This is not acceptable," added Ms Soni.
In its defence, BJP's Ravishankar Prasad said, "Anna's movement has created a new environment in the country. We do not need the Congress' advice on the Parliament's sanctity. We all know that laws will be passed in the Parliament but if the government runs away from a strong Lokpal, we will not spare it."
When National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah suggested that "Parliament is supreme, and because it is supreme, whatever they have to say should be said in Parliament only," Mr Prasad shot back: "We don't need Farooq Abdullah's advice."
The Opposition leaders had left the venue of Anna Hazare's debate with quite the same message. They vowed to fight for a strong and effective Lokpal, but said that fight would happen in Parliament.
"Leave it to the wisdom of Parliament," said Left leader AB Bardhan. Sharad Yadav of the JD(U) suggested that the session could be extended or a special session could be called to ensure that Parliament debated the crucial bill thoroughly before passing it.
Anna said he had invited all parties, but UPA ally Sharad Pawar said that his party did not receive an Anna invite for the Jantar Mantar debate. But he too said he was happy to debate the issue in Parliament. "All parliament representatives yesterday mentioned the importance of Parliament on Lokpal yesterday. I am happy about that. Every one has the right to an opinion. Even though anyone may demand anything, ultimately it will be for the benefit of the people. Whether the debate is on an open field or behind closed doors doesn't matter. Ultimately all views should be considered," Mr Pawar said.
Lalu Prasad Yadav of the RJD got an invitation, didn't go, and said, "He had called everyone. But the public has not elected us for the footpath, but to discuss in Parliament. We have nothing to do with the people who went and what they said. The place for discussion is the Parliament not the road. Roads are for protests. Anna said that there are 180 goons sitting in the Parliament. This is an insult of the Parliament and he should take his words back.."
The Congress too got an invitation but declined. The party said it saw Anna Hazare's attempt to have a political debate at Jantar Mantar as "an insult to Parliament", in the words of spokesman Rashid Alvi. On Monday, Kirti Azad of the BJP, a member of the standing committee that drafted the Bill and a strong voice of dissent in that forum, says he views the PM's call for an all-party meeting as a subversion of the Parliamentary process. "I feel humiliated and insulted. I mean, I may not agree to this draft to an extent, but I feel humiliated and insulted that Prime Minister is calling an all-party meeting...because whatever wrong they have done should be discussed in Parliament rather than getting a consensus against the wishes of the people," he said.
A livid Mr Azad said on the NDTV programme
We The People that he would want his party not to attend the all-party meeting on Wednesday. It will of course not be easy for the BJP to skip that meeting as it would hand the government the opportunity to say that while it was doing everything to pass the Lokpal Bill in this session, the principal Opposition party did not cooperate.
The report on the Lokpal Bill delivered by the Parliamentary committee late last week has been rejected by Anna as "a betrayal of the people.
Sunday's fast by Anna was his third this year for a Lokpal Bill that delivers an ombudsman agency armed with powers which his team of activists deems essential. The event saw an impressive turnout with nearly 6,000 people turning up. The 74-year-old Gandhian was also testing ground support for the longer hunger strike starting December 27 if the Lokpal Bill is not passed as a law during this Winter Session.