Twitter
Advertisement

Attitude of government changed overnight: Team Anna

Talks between government and Team Anna Hazare ended in a deadlock with the civil society declaring they were "back to square one."

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin
Latest:

Talks between government and Team Anna Hazare ended in a deadlock on Wednesday with the two sides failing to resolve the key issues, promting the civil society to declare they were "back to square one."

Upset at the lack of progress, Anna Hazare's three representatives -- Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi -- said after another round of talks with government interlocutors headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee that difference between government's attitude yesterday and today was marked like "day and night."

They were of the view that talks were "back to square one" although the government said another round of discussions will be held tomorrow.

PTI reports:

The Prime Minister Wednesday said the All-Party meeting appealed to Anna Hazare to end his fast and he hoped Hazare will listen to their unanimous sentiments.

On Anna's deadline of passage for the Lokpal Bill, the Prime Minister said that this was merely a suggestion given by Team Anna and it did not mean that the government would accept everything.
 
The all-party meeting to resolve the Lokpal Bill issue ended today without a consensus being reached.
 
All parties appealed to Gandhian Anna Hazare to end his indefinite fast against corruption, Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi said.
 
Hazare, into the ninth day of his fast, remained as defiant as ever, saying that he could fast for another nine days.
 
Nine non-UPA and non-NDA parties demanded the withdrawal of Lokpal Bill from Parliament and asked for introduction of new strong and effective bill.
 
Leader of the opposition is Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said that the bill prepared by civil society will be given due consideration.
 
The current bill should be withdrawn and a new bill be drafted on the basis of the Jan Lokpal Bill, Swaraj said.
 
A breakthrough in the deadlock over Lokpal continued to elude Team Anna and the government despite hard negotiations with differences persisting over seven issues, including bringing the Prime Minister under its ambit.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tonight candidly admitted that the government was in a "bind" from which it has to come out with "practical and pragmatic" solutions.

Singh's comments came after Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid and three key members of Anna Hazare's team negotiated over Jan Lokpal Bill and an all-party meeting where both the Left parties and BJP urged the government to withdraw its Lokpal Bill now before a Parliamentary Standing Committee.

Even as the Prime Minister made these remarks at an Iftar party hosted by him at his residence, the two sides were getting ready for another round of negotiations later tonight at which the government team would be led by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and civil society represented by Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi.

The all-party meeting made an appeal to Hazare, whose fast at Ramlila Grounds entered the ninth day today, to call it off. But Hazare maintained that he would not do so.

Sources present at the all-party meeting said that out of 40 points presented by the civil society in its Jan Lokpal Bill, there was complete agreement on 26, broad agreement on seven and persisting differences on the remaining seven.

The seven points on which the differences remain include a single law providing for Lok Ayuktas in states, bringing Prime Minister, higher judiciary and conduct of MPs in Parliament in the ambit of Lokpal, coverage of all civil servants, definition of Lokpal and selection process of Lokpal.
 
At the meeting, political parties were unanimous that the supremacy of Parliament and Constitution should be upheld and there should be no short circuiting of procedures.

Both Sitaram Yechury (CPM) and D Raja (CPI) said that Constitution and Parliamentary procedures cannot be tinkered with as Parliament is supreme. They said it was for the government to make an appropriate law.

A resolution passed at the all-party meeting said "this meeting of all parties in Parliament requests Shri Anna Hazare to end his fast.

"The meeting was also of the view that due consideration should be given to the Jan Lokpal Bill so that the Final Draft of the Lokpal Bill provides for a strong and effective Lokpal which is supported by a broad national consensus."

At the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed the demands of the civil society that government should withdraw the Lokpal Bill in Parliament and in its place Jan Lokpal Bill with some changes within four days, discuss that and pass it in the Monsoon Session without referring to the Standing Committee.

The civil society also said that if a written committment can be given by the government on its demand, Hazare can be persuaded to end his fast.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee briefed the meeting on the negotiations he had held with Team Anna and the persisting differences on some of the major points.

Parties, including the BJP, Left, AGP and RLD, demanded withdrawal of the government bill saying it was weak but made it clear Parliament was supreme and there can be no short-circuiting of procedures like proper and due examination of any legislation in the Standing Committee.
Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement