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In a bid to downplay the huge number of people registering for Anna Hazare’s ‘jail bharo’ andolan, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said the Government was fully committed on a strong Lokpal but it was firm in its belief that nobody other than Parliament has the right to legislate.
“It is for Parliament to decide what should be the final shape of the legislation,” he told newsmen reminding the Government was fully aware of the Hazare’s opinions on the issue as “we had held nine rounds of talks with them.”
When asked to comment on Anna’s fast in Mumbai, the Minister said, “it’s Parliament’s job to legislate,” adding, apart from various rounds of discussions viewpoints were exchanged through interlocutors and “now it should be left to Parliament to take a decision on the shape of the legislation.”
When told that thousands were registering their names for the jail bharo called by the civil society leader, Mukherjee said he could comment on things related to the Government only
On whether the Government was confident of getting requisite support from the UPA allies let alone the entire House, he said, “As I have said we have done our job and now it is the job of Parliament to give final shape to the legislation,” adding it was “premature to comment on what members will do.”
Meanwhile, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had made her stance clear on “freeing country of all kinds of corruption” continued to keep her cards close to her chest on the Bill. Earlier, Hazare had requested “Bahen (sister) Mamata” to speak up in favour of a strong Lokpal so that corruption could be rooted out from the country.
“It is for Parliament to decide what should be the final shape of the legislation,” he told newsmen reminding the Government was fully aware of the Hazare’s opinions on the issue as “we had held nine rounds of talks with them.”
When asked to comment on Anna’s fast in Mumbai, the Minister said, “it’s Parliament’s job to legislate,” adding, apart from various rounds of discussions viewpoints were exchanged through interlocutors and “now it should be left to Parliament to take a decision on the shape of the legislation.”
When told that thousands were registering their names for the jail bharo called by the civil society leader, Mukherjee said he could comment on things related to the Government only
On whether the Government was confident of getting requisite support from the UPA allies let alone the entire House, he said, “As I have said we have done our job and now it is the job of Parliament to give final shape to the legislation,” adding it was “premature to comment on what members will do.”
Meanwhile, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had made her stance clear on “freeing country of all kinds of corruption” continued to keep her cards close to her chest on the Bill. Earlier, Hazare had requested “Bahen (sister) Mamata” to speak up in favour of a strong Lokpal so that corruption could be rooted out from the country.
