New Delhi: The Lokpal draft bill is reduced to a war of press conferences. Even as Anna Hazare said he will go on fast from Aug 16, the government said it won't be threatened, promising a strong draft bill by the end of the month.
A day after the Lokpal committee met and ended bitterly divided between the government and civil society representatives, it was the government's turn to hit back.
Cabinet ministers Kapil Sibal, P Chidambaram and Salman Khursheed addressed the press to explain their side even as Team Anna Hazare termed Lokpal bill a ‘jokepal’ bill.
"The bill the govt is proposing is not lokpal but ‘jokepal’ bill," said Arvind Kejriwal.
"It was not a joke till yesterday afternoon, apparently it has become a joke now," said Salman Khursheed.
The divide is complete but there also a shift in the government strategy. They want to get everyone on board.
The government hopes that vested political interests will help it get even the Opposition's support on not including the prime minister under the lokpal's purview.
A reality check for Team Anna too. Their draft might be legally valid but its unlikely to pass muster in the Cabinet since there are five Cabinet ministers in the Joint drafting committee. Will this remain a high decibel debate that has been reduced to personal barbs or can a bill that attempts a corruption free India be drafted and debated and finally presented before the Parliament?
Comments
0 comment