03 July,2011 07:03 AM IST | | Agencies
Anna Hazare asks Congress president Sonia Gandhi for "comprehensive Lokpal bill" to be sent to Parliament ahead of all-party meeting to be held on Sunday
IF a half-baked bill is sent to the Parliament, what will the parliament discuss?" Hazare asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi during a 20-minute meeting at her 10 Janpath Road residence in New Delhi on Saturday.
Social activist, Anna Hazare at a speech
Congress General Secretary Janardan Dwivedi, who was part of the meeting, said, "Both sides exchanged views respecting each other's feelings.
The Congress president told them (Hazare and his supporters) that they had already placed their viewpoint in the joint drafting committee, but since a dialogue was taking place, she will discuss them with her colleagues."
In a statement on Friday, the Congress said that it favoured the exclusion of the prime minister and the judiciary from the ambit of the proposed Lokpal bill but said that its final views will be reflected in the stance of the cabinet and in the Parliament.
However, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) General Secretary Prakash Karat on Saturday said the office of the prime minister should be covered by the Lokpal bill with adequate safeguards but the judiciary should be out of its ambit.
"The office of the prime minister along with all public servants was brought under the purview of Lokpal by the VP Singh government in 1989 and also by the parliamentary standing committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee in 2001. Then why it is being changed today?" Karat asked.
An all-party meet is scheduled will take place on Sunday, BJP leader LK Advani, said in a press conference. Advani said the NDA will attend the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the bill and it will try and convince Shiv Sena to attend as well.
The Sena had ruled out its participation due to differences with Hazare, who had spoken against Bal Thackeray a few days ago after Thakeray had made allegations that the anti-corruption movement was being funded by corporations.
On Friday, Hazare's team members Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia briefed senior BJP leaders LK Advani, Rajnath Singh and Murli Manohar Joshi.
After the meeting Hazare declared that the BJP was in favour of a strong Lokpal bill, though party representatives said they would have a meeting about the proposals first.
Hazare said that he will go on a fast from August 16 if a comprehensive legislation is not brought to the Parliament.
The Hazare team also met CPI leader AB Bardhan on Friday. The government had announced that the anti-graft Lokpal bill will be introduced in the monsoon session of the Parliament on August 1.
