New Delhi: The Lokpal Bill is likely to be discussed and passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday as both United Progressive Alliance and National Democratic Alliance are in favour of the legislation. The only major stumbling block remains the Samajwadi Party as it continues to oppose the Bill.
The opposition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party has came out in support of the Lokpal Bill. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley has also given a notice for the suspension of Question Hour so that the Bill can be passed.
In order to break the logjam over the Lokpal Bill, Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari had convened an all-party meet on Monday evening. The government has claimed that all efforts are on to ensure that Lokpal Bill is passed in the current session of Parliament. The SP and Bahujan Samaj Party, however, skipped the all-party meet.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the government is trying to convince the Samajwadi Party to not obstruct the passage of the Bill and is willing to extend the session if the need arises. "Lokpal Bill is government's highest priority. Even if we have to extend Parliament session to pass it, we will do so. We are trying to persuade SP to support Lokpal Bill," Kamal Nath said.
But the SP remained firm that it will not support the Bill. "Our stand hasn't changed, we will continue to oppose the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha as we have been doing," said SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav.
Yadav also claimed that party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav had never assured the government that it will support the current version of the Lokpal Bill.
But to UPA's relief BSP supremo Mayawati said that her party will support the Lokpal Bill. BSP leaders later clarified that they skipped the meeting as it coincided with their national executive meeting in Delhi.
During the all-party meet, sources said the BJP-led NDA leaders agreed to pass the Bill even amid the din, but were unanimous that marshals should not be used to usher out those opposing the measure in the House. The Opposition is learnt to have been working with the government on the issue of bringing certain amendments in the Bill after the Select Committee recommendations.
Sources also said the government agreed to BJP's demand that it would not transfer any CBI official probing cases referred to by the Lokpal, without the consent of the anti-corruption ombudsman.
CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said inspite of the agreement to pass the Bill, his party wants the Lokpal to cover private entities too. "We are going to move amendments for inclusion of corporate and private sector in the ambit of the law," said Yechury.
Those who attended the all-party meeting included Arun Jaitley (BJP), Naresh Gujral (SAD), Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena), V Maitreyan (AIADMK), Derek O'Brien (TMC), NK Singh (JDU), D Raja (CPI) and Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD).
(With additional information from PTI)
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