Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Taking part in the ‘Lokpal debate’ being held here at Jantar Mantar, senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Sunday said his party wants the Prime Minister as well as all the government officers to come under the ambit of Lokpal.
Stressing that the country needs a strong and unbiased Lokpal, Jaitley said everybody in the administration as well as the government should come under Lokpal.
Political leaders from several parties are taking part in the Lokpal debate being held at Jantar Mantar where social activist Anna Hazare is holding a token day-long fast.
Reacting to Congress stand that Lokpal Bill can’t be made at Jantar Mantar, Jaitley said there was difference in debates outside and inside Parliament.
He said even though laws are made inside the Parliament, people’s voice is also important. Such programmes help in taking the voice of people to Parliament, he added.
Jaitley categorically stated that politicians have to go amongst the masses to gauge public mood.
My party member presented dissention note in Parl panel
He further regretted that the UPA government ignored the Sense of House on Lokpal Bill adopted at a special sitting of Parliament in August.
Not agreeing with the recommendations of a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lokpal Bill, Jaitley said BJP members who were part of the Lokpal panel had submitted dissent notes.
He stated that the Parliament can’t go back on its promises made to the public.
On the issue of selection of Lokpal and its members, Jaitley said, not just the government but also the opposition, judiciary and an independent mechanism should be part of the process.
Jaitley further pitched for an independent CBI free of government control.
On the issue of bringing NGOs under Lokpal, Jaitley said his party wouldn’t accept the inclusion of 4.5 lakh such organisations when lakhs of Group C and D government officers were being left out of it.
First Published: Sunday, December 11, 2011, 13:57