Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Slamming the Opposition for sharing the stage with social activist Anna Hazare, senior Congress leader, Pranab Mukherjee said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday that the Lokpal Bill was the "collective responsibility" of all the members of Parliament.
Defending the government on the bill, Leader of the Lok Sabha said, “There is no undue haste regarding the bill. Discussions have been on for the last 10 months. It is not as if there is a sense of duress.”
Making it clear that the members of the House will finally decide what the Lokpla Bill will be, he told the members of Parliament, “You are the ones who will decide which provision and which clause will be included in the anti-graft bill. If there is any lacunae in the bill please change is, introduce amendments, after all the bill will be passed by you.” Hitting out at Team Anna he said, “Legislation is something that is domain of the Parliament. Legislation is not made in roads, protest stages and dharnas.”
“We should see that the Lokpal Bill is debated as there has already been enough delay. The whole country is looking at us as to what type of bill is passed in Parliament,” Pranab said.
On the issue of quota he said, “Original provision was for including the minorities. The only point was whether it will be constitutionally valid.”
To give constitutional validity to the bill, it will have to be passed by two-thirds of the majority. It can be said that though the Lokpal Bill has been tabled and introduced in Parliament, it is a long road ahead for the actual passage of the anti-corruption bill.
Meanwhile, Standing Parliament Committee chairman Abhishek Manu Singhvi today said that the need of the hour was to collectively wage a war against corruption. He added, “Lokpal Bill is the single strongest piece of legislation.”
First Published: Thursday, December 22, 2011, 17:28