New Delhi: The government on Tuesday wondered why
Team Anna keeps on issuing warnings when the Centre has
repeatedly announced its commitment to bring a strong Lokpal
Bill at the earliest.
"This has been said by Anna and his associates many times.
Before campaigning against Congress in Hisar also, they had
said that they would compel the government to bring Lokpal
bill... I do not know why they are making such statements when
there is no need to compel the government for it," Information
and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here.
She was responding to questions on Hazare's letter to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today in which he threatened to
resume his fast on the last day of Parliament's Winter Session
if the government fails to get a strong Jan Lokpal Bill passed
by then.
"A number of Cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister
himself has said that we all want to a powerful Lokpal Bill.
Standing Committee examining is also speeding up its work in
this direction by holding extra sittings.
"There is no indication that there will be any delay in
bringing the bill. When the government has reiterated its
commitment to the bill so many times, I fail to understand
what is the reason for their issuing warnings frequently,"
Soni said.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the
74-year-old activist said he did not find it right that
responsible people in government and Congress were making
remarks that creates doubts about the passage of the bill.
The Winter Session of Parliament will begin on November
22 and end on December 23.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, November 01, 2011, 15:55