New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has
said his government would engage with the civil society in
addressing the concerns over corruption.
The assurance was given by the Prime Minister to
anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare who called on him in New Delhi on Monday.
"I appreciate and share your concerns on corruption,"
Singh told the group and requested Hazare not to carry out his
threat to go on a fast on the issue of graft.
Demanding enactment of a strong anti-corruption law on
the lines of Jan Lokpal Bill, Hazare had threatened to go on
an indefinite fast from April 5 if the Prime Minister does not
act decisively on his suggestion by March-end.
Hazare had wondered how the government could pass the
anti-corruption Bill without consulting anyone from the civil
society.
Hazare, who had led a group of civil society activists
also presented him a draft of their proposal on Lokpal.
The group accepted the Prime Minister`s suggestion that a
sub-committee of the Group of Ministers going into the
corruption issue could interact and discuss the draft with the
civil society activists, a PMO release said on Tuesday.
The group argued that the country expected meaningful
reforms to tackle corruption in public life.
The Prime Minister had last week invited Hazare here for
a discussion on the issue.
Law Minister M Veerappa Moily and MOS in the PMO V
Narayanasamy were also present when Hazare had met the PM.
PTI
