M A I N   N E W S

SP to block Lokpal Bill
Keeps away from all-party meeting; RS to take up Bill today; BJP wants passage without debate
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 16
With the Lokpal Bill slated to come up in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, a near unanimity emerged at an all-party meeting here today, barring the Samajwadi Party (SP) that continued its opposition to the anti-corruption measure.

The SP, whose members have been raising slogans leading to disruption of the proceedings, reiterated its opposition to the proposed legislation and stayed away from the meeting on it.

Eager to end the stalemate over the passage of the Lokpal Bill in the wake of continued disruptive tactics adopted by the SP and also Telegu Desam Party members in the Rajya Sabha, chairman Hamid Ansari held a meeting with leaders of political parties.

The SP, BSP and the DMK stayed away, but barring the SP there was little resistance from the other two parties.

The BSP, which has openly declared its support for the proposed legislation, later clarified that the meeting coincided with their national executive meeting here.

Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Ramgopal Yadav said, “The party is totally opposed to the bill and if there is a need, then they will disrupt Parliament. We totally oppose the Lokpal Bill. If such a bill is introduced, then not a single officer or a minister will sign on their decisions. The whole country’s decision-making power will come to a standstill,” Yadav said.

Yadav said, “They are not accepting my demand for discussion on the price rise, so, I will not accept their demand. My demand is that there must be a discussion on price rise. They did not accept it. But anyway, these two things should not be co-related.”

“I had never assured that we will never disrupt Parliament. If there is a need, then we will definitely disrupt it,” he added.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said all parties that attended the meeting were unanimous that the Bill should be passed tomorrow.

“We discussed expeditious passing of the Lokpal Bill. All parties, except the SP, which was not present in the meeting, have expressed a desire that the Bill should be passed under all circumstances tomorrow. All parties will continue to persuade the SP to join in, in passing of the Bill and not obstruct the functioning of the House,” the minister said.

Earlier, he said passage of the Bill was the top priority of the government and the houses could sit late and even extend beyond December 20, the target date for adjournment, if the need arose.

After the Rajya Sabha passes it, the Bill will need ratification by the Lok Sabha to the amendments carried out to the proposed legislation it sent to the other House in December 2011.

However, Naresh Gujral of SAD expressed doubts over the intention of the government in getting the Bill passed.

He said: “I am not sure about the intention of the government, the BJP-led NDA has offered support to pass it without any discussion even amid din and yet they are saying everyone should continue to persuade the SP.”

CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said the party would like to move its amendment to bring corporate and private industry under the ambit of Lokpal and have formally sent in their proposal.

Meanwhile, political sources said an agreement was being worked out to tweak the second of the two amendments the BJP is insisting. The party wanted that all 15 recommendations of the Select Committee be included instead of the 13 that form part of the official amendments.

One pertains to seeking clearance of the Lokpal before transferring an official associated with graft probe and the other not to inform the accused of a complaint by registering a preliminary inquiry. The alteration now includes a provision for Lokpal to record that searches were needed if apprehension of recovering cash or valuables were likely to be found before a preliminary enquiry is registered.