Anna Hazare several members of the committee have assured that a "strong" bill will be introduced in the Winter session of Parliament.
Team Anna today opposed enacting separate laws on judicial accountability, whistle-blowers and public grievances when they can be brought in the ambit of the Lopkal Bill even as they faced questions from Parliamentary committee members on "pressure tactics" adopted by the activists for early passage of the anti-graft measure.
During a four-hour-long meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice and Personnel, activists led by Anna Hazare strongly opposed "breaking" the Lokpal Bill into several measures.
"We said there was no need to divide the Lokpal Bill into various measures," Hazare told reporters after the meeting.
"But if these measures are strong, we have no problem. At the same time the (draft) bill on citizens charter and the Judicial Standards and Accountability bill are weak drafts. Such weak bills will make the Lokpal weak," the Gandhian said.
He said several members of the committee have assured that a "strong" bill will be introduced in the Winter session of Parliament.
"Several goods points were raised. We found some solution, but not a complete solution.... We now believe that a strong bill will be introduced," he said.
During the meeting, Team Anna faced some tough questions from the members who took exception to the activists' threat to launch a fresh agitation if the measure was not passed in the Winter Session.
"We said that the process of law making should be allowed to be completed. If you don't like the final outcome, then you are free to protest," a member told PTI after the meeting. Some members also wondered what will happen if the institution of Lokpal also got embroiled in corruption.
"We said that you want to break old institutions like the CBI and CVC and create Lokpal. Do you know the time it will take to make Lokpal into a strong body...the investment involved and the manpower required to allow the institution have a pan India presence," another member said.
Referring to certain strong statements made against the government and Parliamentarians in the recent past, Hazare said in the interest of nation and society such words have to be used.
"...But we have no personal motive behind using strong words," he said.
He said if strong anti-corruption measures are passed and implemented in true spirit, then it will only help the country develop.
Hazare also said the government should clearly explain the clauses it cannot accept in the Jan Lokpal Bill created by his team.
The activists were also asked by members as to why they are opposed to inclusion of NGOs in the anti-graft measure and Team Anna reportedly said it was open to expanding Lokpal's ambit.
Besides Hazare, Shanti and Prashant Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia were also present in the meeting.
Committee Chairman Abhishek Singhvi said after listening to Team Anna, the panel has come a "full circle" as far as the witnesses were concerned and now it will begin its internal discussions before finalising the report.
Team Anna had first appeared before the committee in August this year after Hazare undertook a 13-day fast in August demanding that the Jan Lokpal Bill be passed in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
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