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Ahead of
the all party meet on Lokpal Hazare meets Sonia
Saturday July 02, 2011 08:52:56 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: Civil
society activist Anna Hazare Saturday met Congress president Sonia
Gandhi to press for a strong Lokpal bill and said he will go on a
fast from Aug 16 if a comprehensive legislation is not brought to
parliament.
"If a half-baked bill is sent to parliament, what will the
parliament discuss?" Hazare said after the meeting with Gandhi at
her 10 Janpath residence.
Hazare, who was accompanied by his civil society colleague on the
joint drafting panel Arvind Kejriwal, said Gandhi assured them
that she will discuss their suggestions with her colleagues.
Hazare said he will go on fast from Aug 16 if "right" Lokpal bill
was not brought before parliament.
He said they had good discussion and made their point of view
before the Congress leaders.
Kejriwal said after the meeting the civil society representatives
wanted the prime minister and the judiciary to be included within
the ambit of the Lokpal.
Congress general secretary Janardan Dwivedi, who was present at
meeting, said: "Both sides exchanged views by giving respect to
each other's feelings. The Congress president told them that they
had already placed their viewpoint in the joint drafting committee
but since a dialogue was taking place again, she will discuss them
with her colleagues."
Dwivedi refused to answer questions over charges made by Congress
leaders earlier that Hazare was backed by the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP).
He said the party will back the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
government's stand on the anti-graft Lokpal bill.
"Talks have to be held with all parties. It is a coalition
government led by the Congress. Whatever decision is taken through
collective wisdom, we will support it," Dwivedi said.
The Congress general secretary refused to go into details of the
issues discussed at the meeting. "We will not discuss specific
issues. That is not proper as the matter is being talked about
with others," he said.
Asked about Hazare's statement to media after the meeting, Dwivedi
said: "Whatever Anna has said could be what he had in his mind,
but nothing of that came up at the meeting."
The meeting was also attended by Congress leader Mohsina Kidwai.
The Congress Friday favoured exclusion of the prime minister and
the judiciary from the ambit of the proposed Lokpal bill but said
that its final views will be reflected in the stance of the
cabinet and in parliament.
The prime minister, the party said, could be brought under
Lokpal's purview once he demits office.
The government has convened an all-party meeting on the Lokpal
bill Sunday.
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