Thaindian News

New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Attempts to break the impasse with anti-corruption crusaders failed again Friday with the government rejecting two of their major demands - having a former Supreme Court judge as head of a committee for drafting an anti-graft law and on notifying the constitution of the panel.

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said he had conveyed to Arvind Kejriwal and Swami Agnivesh, two civil society activists backing reformer Anna Hazare who has been on fast for the last four days, the government’s disagreement over two of their important proposals.

The civil society leaders had proposed a notification of the committee that will draft the Jan Lokpal Bill and appointing former chief justice of India J.S. Verma or former Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde as chairman of the panel.

Kapil Sibal said he conveyed to the Anna Hazare’s representatives that it was “not possible for the government to issue an official notification” with respect to constitution of the committee.

“But we are willing to issue an official letter from a department of the government, may be the law ministry, to constitute the committee and of course, a press note,” he said.

The minister also conveyed to the movement’s members that it was “not possible for us to accept the chairmanship of a member of the civil society over this joint drafting committee”.

But all other conditions and points raised by Anna Hazare on the formation of the committee was acceptable to the government, he added.

Anna Hazare, who is on a fast-unto-death seeking the anti-graft law for the fourth day since April 6, had also wanted 50 percent of the committee’s membership for prominent civil society representatives.

The two sides will meet again at 6 p.m.