Lokpal bill to be tabled on Monday, vows PM
17 Dec 2011
The lokpal bill will be introduced in Parliament on Monday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told newspersons today, soon after anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare shot off another letter to him accusing the government of insincerity about the bill.
Talking to newspersons on board his aircraft on his way back from Moscow, Singh said the government is determined to pass the Lokpal Bill in this session of Parliament and is working day and night to shape the bill.
"No one should doubt out sincerity in passing the bill in this season," he said.
"The bill will be in the cabinet tomorrow (Sunday), and introduced in Parliament on Monday. Thereafter it is up to Parliament to take it up. We don't know what could happen," Dr Singh said.
Earlier today, Hazare wrote to the prime minister saying the government's draft of the bill is not strong and alleged that the centre is not keen to let go of control of the Central Bureau of Investigation. "The lokpal is toothless without the CBI under it," he said.
Putting the CBI under the corruption watchdog is one of the key demands of team Anna on which they and the government differ. The government feels the CBI should continue to work independently, or else be answerable to the lokpal only on cases referred to it by the lokpal.