New Delhi: Asserting that it was for Parliament to take a final view on inclusion of Prime Minister under the ambit of Lokpal, Parliamentary Standing Committee chairman Abhishek Singhvi on Wednesday said the panel was not meant to reach out to or please Team Anna or any other group.
He said Standing Committee recommendations was nowhere
near or resembling the government bill and they do not include
or implement in any manner a government draft or a civil
society bill.
"We are not here to reach out or please Team Anna or for
that matter NCPRI or anybody else. We cannot do that," Singhvi
said.
He said the panel gave three options on the issue of
inclusion of Prime Minister in the Lokpal. "Now there can be a
4th or a fifth view. The committee felt that any of the three
views can be possible. Why not Parliament look into it?"
He said government itself was entitled to go beyond the
Standing Committee report. "The government may add more to the
report. Parliament may add still more," he said.
He said the Standing Committee report has its unique
sense of creativity and innovation.
Asked whether Team Anna should desist from its proposed
agitation, he said they should wait and look at the efficacy
of Lokpal institution. "Give it a chance of a year or two and
if it does not work then start the agitation," he said.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, December 07, 2011, 22:19