New Delhi: Bringing Prime Minister under
the Lokpal would result in "institutionalised permanent
instability" at the Centre, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee
said on Saturday.
Two days after the Union Cabinet approved the Lokpal
bill that keeps out PM from its ambit much to the anger of the
civil society, Mukherjee, who chaired the joint drafting
committee with Anna Hazare`s team, strongly defended the
decision.
"In this time of frenzy, anybody can write to the
Lokpal and make a complaint. If the Lokpal prima facie sees
merit in it...the Prime Minister will have to resign.
"Prime Minister is the keystone in our system and if he
goes, then the entire government goes. This way you will
institutionalise permanent instability," he said.
He recalled that BJP had wanted a fixed tenure for the
Lok Sabha without mid-term dissolution in the wake of three
general elections in three years between 1996 and 1999.
On Hazare`s threat to go on indefinite fast from August
16 in protest against keeping out PM, judiciary and MPs
conduct in Parliament from the bill, Mukherjee said if the
Gandhian felt that the civil society bill was the best then he
should convince political parties supporting him to get it
passed in Parliament even without discussion.
PTI
