Bill not tabled in a hurry: Pranab
December 27th, 2011 - 11:09 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday forcefully countered in the Lok Sabha the opposition’s charge that the Lokpal bill has been tabled in a hurry and stressed that the legislation has been debated for over six months.
“There is a long history of the last six months. We entered into a dialogue with civil society,” Mukherjee said replying to the day-long debate in the house on the Lokpal bill, while recalling several times that the legislation has been discussed by parliament.
“It is not under duress but we wanted to have a strong anti-corruption legislation in the form of a Lokpal, an ombudsman which will examine corruption in high places.”
“All the proposals, including reservations for the Scheduled Castes, STs (scheduled tribes) and women, were discussed. Nothing has come out of the hat of a magician,” said Mukherjee.
Mukherjee was speaking in parliament after MPs debated in the Lok Sabha the pros and cons of the Lokpal bill as Anna Hazare started a three-day fast for a strong anti-graft ombudsman.
Earlier, while intervening, the prime minister underlined that that the bill lived up to the promise MPs “collectively made to the people of the country” with a ’sense of house’ resolution in August when Hazare staged his 12-day fast in Delhi.
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- Parliament to decide Lokpal bill's final shape: Pranab - Dec 26, 2011
- Amid opposition, Lokpal bill tabled with minority quota (Lead) - Dec 22, 2011
- As Anna fasts, parliament divided over Lokpal (Night Lead) - Dec 27, 2011
- Young Congress MPs nuance Congress stance on Hazare fast - Aug 26, 2011
- Lokpal bill passed in Lok Sabha (Lead) - Dec 28, 2011
- BJP 'disappointed' with Lokpal bill, Lalu fumes - Dec 22, 2011
- Lokpal bill in parliament Thursday, Sonia says she will fight for it (Roundup) - Dec 21, 2011
- Lokpal bill passed amid Anna fast, but Congress stumped (Roundup) - Dec 28, 2011
- Lokpal bill with PM in but CBI out approved, Hazare furious (Roundup) - Dec 21, 2011
- Government plans Lokpal bill in winter session; Anna threatens agitation - Dec 15, 2011
- Lok Sabha passes Lokpal bill but no constitutional status (Second Lead) - Dec 28, 2011
- Subversion of parliament shouldn't be allowed: Lalu - Aug 17, 2011
- Leave Lokpal to parliament's wisdom: Government (Lead) - Dec 26, 2011
- All party meeting urges Hazare to end fast (Lead) - Aug 24, 2011
Tags: anna hazare, castes, corruption, dialogue, duress, finance minister, hurry, Lok Sabha, magician, mps, New Delhi, ombudsman, parliament, pranab mukherjee, prime minister, proposals, pros and cons, several times, six months, tribes