Team Anna to meet government panel on Lokpal
August 10th, 2011 - 1:57 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) Civil society activists led by social reformer Anna Hazare Wednesday said they would meet a parliamentary standing committee on the anti-graft Lokpal Bill in the evening, but it would be a waste of parliament’s time.
“Today’s standing committee meeting is more of a formality because the bill presented by the government is not worth being discussed and it will only waste the time of parliament,” Arvind Kejriwal, a key member of Team Anna, told reporters.
The Lokpal Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha Aug 4, was sent to the parliamentary committee on law and justice, personnel and public grievances, headed by Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi. But this draft bill did not include several key suggestions made by Team Anna.
The panel invited Hazare for the discussion, a move seen as extending an olive branch. Hazare, along with Kejriwal and senior lawyers Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan, will meet the standing committee members at 5 p.m. Wednesday evening.
Hazare, who has arrived in Delhi for the meeting, said the government’s Lokpal Bill was only an eyewash. “The government’s Lokpal Bill is only an eyewash, they have no intention to fight corruption,” he told reporters.
The Lokpal Bill provides for the establishment of the institution of Lokpal, or ombudsman, to fight corruption in public office.
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- Team Anna reject Lokpal panel's recommendations - Dec 07, 2011
- PM ready for 'give and take' as Hazare continues fast (Roundup) - Aug 20, 2011
- Open to discussions on Lokpal, says PM as Hazare fast continues (Afternoon Lead) - Aug 20, 2011
- Lokpal panel to meet Sep 7 to decide on time limit: Singhvi - Aug 29, 2011
- Anna issues ultimatum to Congress, battlelines drawn - Oct 05, 2011
- Fasting Anna ready for talks, but on his Lokpal (Evening Lead) - Aug 21, 2011
- Parliamentary panel ideal to discuss Lokpal Bill: Singhvi - Aug 21, 2011
- Team Anna meets to decide future strategy - Apr 22, 2012
- Lokpal panel finalises report, Team Anna rejects it - Dec 07, 2011
- Pushing for constitutional Lokpal, reiterates Congress - Oct 12, 2011
- Team Anna urges people to protest 'weak' Lokpal bill - Dec 09, 2011
- Team Anna firm on bringing PM, CBI under Lokpal (Lead) - Dec 14, 2011
Tags: abhishek, anna hazare, arvind, bhushan, civil society activists, congress leader, draft bill, eyewash, formality, government panel, law and justice, Lok Sabha, olive branch, parliamentary committee, parliamentary standing committee, public grievances, shanti, social reformer, time today, wednesday evening