New Delhi: Team Anna members on Friday met
CPI(M) MPs in Parliament House to discuss the Lokpal Bill and
press for their views to be incorporated in the draft
legislation.
After the meeting, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told
reporters that the discussion on Lokpal Bill is an on-going
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. CPI(M) has
been demanding that a strong and effective Lokpal is
required to eliminate the curse of corruption," Yechury said.
He maintained that he would pass on the suggestions given
by Team Anna to Left members in the Standing Committee dealing
with the drafting of the Bill.
"This was neither our first nor our last meeting with
Team Anna," Yechury said.
Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan said the meeting was
held to explain their position to CPI(M) 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 the 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 of the above should be within the
purview of Lokpal, he further said the Lokpal should be
independent of the government.
Another Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said they would
wait for the Standing Committee to come out with its report
before commenting on its proposals.
PTI
