NEW DELHI: Continuing with their drive to seek support of political parties on Lokpal bill, Team Anna members on Friday met CPM leader Sitaram Yechury in Parliament House and requested that provisions of Jan Lokpal bill be incorporated in the draft legislation being looked at by the standing committee.
Yechury said discussion on Lokpal bill was an ongoing process but the main concern of the Left parties was that the bill should be brought in this session of Parliament and "preferably adopted". "Team Anna members had come to meet us today. We had serious and fruitful discussion on the Lokpal bill. CPM has been demanding that a strong and effective Lokpal is required to eliminate the curse of corruption," Yechury said, adding that suggestions by Team Anna would be given to Left members in the standing committee.
On the question of bringing PM under the purview of Lokpal, Yechury said his party was in favour with some exceptions related to national security. However, it is unlikely that CPM will support Team Anna's demand for inclusion of Group C and D government employees under Lokpal. "It might lead to harassment," a senior party leader said.
Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan said the meeting was held to explain their position to CPM on various aspects of the bill. "We are meeting all parties to explain our position. The standing committee has been saying that CBI, prime minister, judiciary, lower bureaucracy and grievance redressal cell should be kept out of Lokpal. This is not good... If you want a strong Lokpal, then everybody from PM to peon should be included," Bhushan said. Insisting that all the above should be within the purview of Lokpal, he said the Lokpal should be independent of the government.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said they would wait for the standing committee to come out with its report before commenting on its proposals.
Yechury said discussion on Lokpal bill was an ongoing process but the main concern of the Left parties was that the bill should be brought in this session of Parliament and "preferably adopted". "Team Anna members had come to meet us today. We had serious and fruitful discussion on the Lokpal bill. CPM has been demanding that a strong and effective Lokpal is required to eliminate the curse of corruption," Yechury said, adding that suggestions by Team Anna would be given to Left members in the standing committee.
On the question of bringing PM under the purview of Lokpal, Yechury said his party was in favour with some exceptions related to national security. However, it is unlikely that CPM will support Team Anna's demand for inclusion of Group C and D government employees under Lokpal. "It might lead to harassment," a senior party leader said.
Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan said the meeting was held to explain their position to CPM on various aspects of the bill. "We are meeting all parties to explain our position. The standing committee has been saying that CBI, prime minister, judiciary, lower bureaucracy and grievance redressal cell should be kept out of Lokpal. This is not good... If you want a strong Lokpal, then everybody from PM to peon should be included," Bhushan said. Insisting that all the above should be within the purview of Lokpal, he said the Lokpal should be independent of the government.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said they would wait for the standing committee to come out with its report before commenting on its proposals.
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