New Delhi: Communist Party of India-Marxist MP Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said he agreed to the three demands of activist Anna Hazare, but said they will have to be "incorporated in the Lokpal bill as per the Constitution".
"We agree in principle to the three demands made by Annaji and they will be incorporated in the Lokpal bill, but will be implemented as per the Indian Constitution," Yechury told the Rajya Sabha during the debate on a resolution moved by the government on the demands of Hazare.
The activist has been fasting for the past 12 day against the government Lokpal bill, currently with a parliamentary standing committee.
Hazare has demanded that Parliament pass a resolution agreeing in principle to set up Lokayuktas in states, frame citizen's charters for all government departments and include lower bureaucracy in the ambit of Lokpal.
Stating that he disagreed with the Jan Lokpal bill drafted by Team Anna, Yechury said he wanted the government to come up with a new draft bill.
Presenting his party view on the three demands made by Anna, Yechury said he supported the idea of Lokayuktas in states but wanted the central government to make a model act so the state legislatures can decide on it. He said the federal structure in the country must not be disturbed.
On the issue of bringing in a citizen's charter in government departments to improve services, Yechury said a reference to it can be made in the Lokpal bill.
On the issue of bringing lower bureaucracy and the judiciary under the ambit of the Lokpal, the MP further said that one authority cannot oversee such a large number of people.
"We have to look at the practicality of the idea. A large number of cases are pending in the courts and many people are languishing in jails due to delay in delivery of justice," said Yechury.
He said the supervision of the vigilance system monitoring the lower bureaucracy should be given to the Lokpal.
He agreed that corruption was affecting the people at large. "A government official taking bribe is both an act of commission and omission," he said.
IANS
First Published: Saturday, August 27, 2011, 16:30