Lokpal Bill’s date with amendments

BJP spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain revealed on Monday the party’s game plan to move amendments to the revised Lokpal Bill which has been introduced in Lok Sabha last Thursday. He said the amendments express the dissent of the party over the anti-graft ombdusman law introduced by the government.

It has been indicated that there would be about five to six amendments. It is apparent that one of the amendments the BJP is sure to move relates to the minority quota in the composition of the Lokpal.

Both the CPI-M and the CPI are moving amendments of their own. CPI-M leader in Lok Sabha Basudeb Acharia said his party intends to move several amendments. He said there was yet no coordinated strategy on the part of opposition parties to oppose the government’s Lokpal Bill. The CPI-M wants the Lokpal to have an independent investigation wing, and the Central Bureau of Investigation to be independent of the government. CPI’s leader in the House, Gurudas Dasgupta said his party intends to move amendments as well and one of them would be to bring corporates in the Lokpal’s purview.

Dasgupta said he would not comment on the outcome of the debate. “I do not believe in astrology,” he quipped. Acharia said one has to wait and watch for the final outcome.

The Samajwadi Party would also be moving about four amendments, according to senior party leader Rewati Raman Singh. He said the final decision about the approach to the Lokpal debate on Tuesday morning. The SP along with Lalu Yadav of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have strong reservations about the idea of the Lokpal though the two parties are seen to be closer to the Congress-led UPA government.

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader in Lok Sabha Dara Singh Chauhan said his party’s approach too would be decided on Tuesday morning.

A BJP leader speaking on condition of anonymity said while his party would move amendments to the Lokpal, it is more than likely that the bill would go through rather than fall through.

He has, however, denied that there is any tacit understanding between the Congress and his party. That remains a tantalising prospect with every party including the Congress expressing that the passing of the bill is the responsibility of the others. The Congress is not confident that it can push through the law on its own but believes that it is the responsibility of the other parties to help make Lokpal a law.

The other parties, equally sincere, say the Congress must remain flexible and accept the amendments which will make Lokpal stronger and acceptable. A veritable game of political poker is on play.