Activists to meet PM on Lokpal Bill
March 6th, 2011 - 11:32 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, March 6 (IANS) Eminent social activist Anna Hazare, along with Swami Aginvesh, Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan and Kiran Bedi will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday to discuss the enactment of the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) had March 3 invited Hazare for a discussion on the bill after he threatened to go on an indefinite fast in the capital.
“It was only when Anna Hazare threatened to go on an indefinite fast that the prime minister invited us to discuss the bill. It’s good news for us,” Kiran Bedi, former top cop and Magsaysay award winner, told IANS Sunday on the sidelines of an award function.
She said the group may also include yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
Veteran activist Hazare had announced Feb 26 that he would go on an indefinite fast at the Jantar Mantar from April 5 if the prime minister does not act decisively on the Lokpal Bill.
An anti-corruption rally was organised Feb 26 by eminent social leaders like Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kehriwal under the aegis of Baba Ramdev demanding stringent laws against corruption and black money stashed in foreign banks.
The Lokpal Bill 2010, which awaits a select parliamentary committee’s nod, creates an ombudsman body and also provides for filing complaints of corruption against the prime minister, ministers and MPs.
However, the activists say that the bill in its present form is toothless and that they have drafted a separate Jan Lokpal bill taking view and suggestions from civil society and common people in account.
The activists’ bill demands that the Lokpal and Lokayukta, who will be the corruption watchdogs, be independent bodies unlike the Central Bureau of Investigation, which is under the government and can not function independently.
It also emphasises on time-bound investigation.
- PM sets up committee to discuss Lokpal bill - Mar 08, 2011
- Chronology of an epochal fast - Aug 28, 2011
- Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement: Time-line - Apr 09, 2011
- Government committed to passing Lokpal bill soon: Narayanasamy - Jul 17, 2012
- No differences over names of committee members: Hazare - Apr 10, 2011
- Lokpal Bill row: BJP asks Govt. not to make a 'prestige issue' - Apr 05, 2011
- Rift in Team Anna, as Hazare plans nationwide campaign (Lead) - Apr 22, 2012
- Lokpal panel meets for consensus amid sharp differences - Jun 15, 2011
- Building up a Brand Anna - Aug 23, 2011
- Ramdev retracts, says also wanted Kiran Bedi on panel - Apr 10, 2011
- No nepotism in Lokpal Bill panel, says Hazare - Apr 10, 2011
- Anna, Ramdev to hold joint fast June 3 - Apr 20, 2012
- Hazare fast: Sibal meets Agnivesh, Kejriwal to pursue constructive dialogue - Apr 07, 2011
- Hazare fast: Deadlock continues over Lokpal Bill - Apr 07, 2011
- No nepotism in Lokpal panel, says Hazare as Ramdev retracts (Lead) - Apr 10, 2011
Tags: arvind, bhushan, black money, central bureau of investigation, foreign banks, independent bodies, jantar mantar, kiran bedi, lokayukta, manmohan singh, parliamentary committee, prime minister manmohan, prime minister manmohan singh, social activist, social leaders, stringent laws, swami agnivesh, veteran activist, watchdogs, yoga guru