Differences remain on Lokpal Bill; no consensus on creation of Lokayuktas

In All party meeting on March 23 the difference on the Lokayukta matter remained stagnant. Opposition is saying that a forced Lokayukta on sates would destroy federal structure and right of state governments.Parties like  BJP,  CPM  and Trinamool  are saying that Lokayukta bill prepared by states will go in vein if  center's  Lokayukta bill is imposed on them. .{ Lokayukta in simple words is state-level Lokpal/corruption watchdog}

So Lokpal Bill is likely to be amended to remove the portion on creation of Lokayuktas in states. All-party meeting saw the entire Opposition and a section of UPA - Trinamool Congress, DMK, NCP and the National Conference - opposing the Lokayukta provision in the bill.  The meeting was attended by leaders of 20 parties, all of whom are members of the Rajya Sabha, besides the prime minister and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee

With the first half of the budget session of Parliament drawing to a close on March 30, there will be very little time to take up a discussion on the bill in the Upper House, especially as there are still major differences on contentious clauses. It is expected that a resumption of the debate will, therefore, be taken up only during the post-recess period. 
Editor's View: All the parties are now showing their true colors, weather BJP or congress. Both opposition and majority are putting hurdles on the implementation of the bill. Opposition like bjp demanded and supported a center Lokpal but when it came to sate level lokpal(i.e lokayukta) then they are showing bad faces, bjp is doing this because is more prominent in states and hence its corrupt deeds may come before people after passage of a state level lokpal.
All the politician class is same, when they have to pass a increase in their salary then there is a consensus but when they have to pass an anti-corruption bill then there is two sided and foggy attitude.SHAME ON US that we elected such non-sense 

Source:http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/differences-remain-on-lokpal-bill-no-consensus-on-creation-of-lokayuktas/articleshow/12387697.cms

Anna will launch a country wide Tour for JanLokpal

Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday said he will begin his countrywide tour to campaign for an effective Jan Lokpal bill after two months. "I will start my countrywide tour after two months and awaken the people to demand for a strong Jan Lokpal by 2014. If it does not come, then back to Ramlila Maidan," Hazare's close associate Suresh Pathare quoted him as saying on social networking site Twitter. 
"I will not go to government for demanding the Jan Lokpal. The decision has been left to the people," Pathare tweeted quoting Hazare. 
Editor's View: Well if Team Anna is planning of a new movement then this time it should take careful moves , because last time Anna agitated in MMRDA ground in Mumbai and Mumbai begin a busy and traffic congested city was unable to respond as desired.Many people thought that this was Anna's failure but in actual manner it was failure of proper planning and not of Anna.( ||SeeMore |||||SeeMore 2|| )

Source:http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/anna-hazare-jan-lokpal-bill-countrywide-tour/1/177476.html

UP Election Campaign:Rae Bareli

SEE FULL SCHEDULE OF UP Election Campaign here

 Team Anna mobilized public opinion in the family stronghold of Rae Bareli on Feb 13 . Four months ago, Anna Hazare's team had claimed sweeping support in Rae Bareli and Amethi for the Jan Lokpal bill after taking a referendum on people's opinion on whether they would vote for those who oppose the legislation.

Team Anna, which began its campaign in Uttar Pradesh on February 5, have been asking people to take a vow that they will not back candidates making false promises but support those who are answerable to them in future.

Though Anna Hazare himself has not been campaigning, his team members Manish Sisodia and Rakesh Rafiq will be among the speakers addressing a rally on Monday afternoon in Rae Bareli, which is UPAchairperson Sonia Gandhi's constituency.

The anti-graft team, which has already held ten rallies under the banner of India Against Corruption, across the state, is expected to address around a dozen more rallies in the state. The team is expected to visit Kanauj on February 14 and proceed to Farukkhabad the same day.

SEE FULL SCHEDULE OF UP Election Campaign here

Source: http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-02-13/news/31055259_1_rae-bareli-team-anna-anna-hazare

Supreme Court justified Lokpal's concept during 2G case

In its verdict 2G case Supreme Court has set a limit of three months for deciding on sanction for prosecution of corrupt public servants. Court said  there should be a set time frame, and added that all matters of sanction should be decided within three months. 
The SC also slammed the Prime Minister’s Office but gave Manmohan Singh a clean chit for the delay in deciding on the prosecution of then telecom minister A Raja in the 2G spectrum case. 

Commenting on verdict Kiran Bedi (member of Team Anna) said that this verdict justifies one of the concept of their Janlokpal regarding time limit.
“Supreme Court has exactly said what we have asking and fighting for, what people have been asking, everything to be time bound.  (1.)But in Jan Lokpal Bill, there was supposed to be no sanction for prosecution.
(2.)If there is evidence, the CBI starts its investigation and nobody interferes in its investigation. This is what the Jan Lokpal Bill was.
(3.) Secondly in Jan Lokpal Bill, it was time bound trial and through number of special courts as needed, so within the maximum period of less than two years, a case is decided,” Bedi told media in Jaipur.

Prashant Bhushan said the verdict would give a boost to the struggle against corruption.

“They have firstly again highlighted how big a menace corruption is in society and we need to tackle it on a war footage. Secondly, even when a private complainant makes a complaint and seeks sanction of the government against a public servant, the government must read the complaint on the same footing as a chargesheet filed by the CBI seeking sanction and must deal with it within the time frame prescribed in Vineet Narayan’s judgement which is within four months,” he added.

Editor's View: Its true that every case related to corruption should be investigated and then decided within appropriate time limit. And Janlokpal Bill contains strong demands of Time Bound independent investigative measures.

Source:http://truthdive.com/2012/02/01/Supreme-Court-vindicated-one-of-our-key-demands-Kiran-Bedi.html
http://www.morungexpress.com/editorial/76096.html

Anna vs Digvijay :(Nanaji Deshmukh controversy)

Anna with Nanaji Deshmuk

Digvijay sharing dias
with Nanahi Deshmuk

Hindi daily reported that Anna had worked under Deshmukh's leadership in 1983 showing a photo of Anna with Nanaji Deshmukh.Rashid Alvi and Digvijaya Singh wasted no time in terming Anna as an agent of RSS.  
"Anna Hazare worked as Secretary with RSS leader Nanaji Deshmukh and trained in 1983 in Gonda. See Nai Duniya front page today," Singh today wrote on his twitter page.  
However, Team Anna did not hesitate in giving a tit-for tat-response.
 Kiran Bedi also posted a picture of Digvijaya Singh sharing a dais with Nanaji Deshmukh, questioning his RSS links."Does sharing of the dais make one each other's agent. Next time shud one sit alone? When two persons share a dais do they become each others agents,?" Kiran asked. 


Meanwhile, Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma also joined the tirade calling Anna an Army deserter, but his claims seemed to bite dust with the report from Army in which army cleared that Anna's record in army is clear and full of might.
Army records made it clear that  Hazera was honourably discharged in 1975 after completing his 12 years of service.Hazera has also won medals for his service.

Editor's View:  Nanaji Deshmuk was first a social activist (honored with  Padma Vibhushan) then an rss member, the very proof of this statement is his powerful social work regarding anti-poverty and minimum needs programme, agriculture and cottage industry, rural health and rural education etc. Nanaji was an experienced man in terms of rural development.
If we believe the report then we will realize  Anna was with Deshmuk in order to gain experience about rural development from Deshmukh(who had infinite experience in this field )Report says that Anna have participated in  rural development projects started by Deshmukh.So it reveals that Anna contributed to Deshmuk's projects to gain experience from him. It is evident from the report that Anna has worked only and only in Deshmuk's rural projects and not in any other  projects and campaingns by rss.It clearly defines that Anna worked with Deshmuk in his rural developmental projects to learn from Deshmuk about rural development. Deshmuk was one of those politicians with whom any activist can meet for exchange of views and lessons. Even Digvijay who is blaming Anna had shared stage with Deshmuk!

Sources:http://twocircles.net/2011dec25/anna_hazare_was_active_rss_%E2%80%98pracharak%E2%80%99_reveals_media_report.html (REPORT)
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/anna-writes-to-pm-conghazare-war-gets-personal/214991-37-64.html
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-21/lucknow/29911705_1_indian-army-anna-hazare-kisan-baburao-hazare
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Cong-attacks-Anna-Hazare-again-Anna-is-Indias-agent-says-Arvind-Kejriwal/articleshow/11244769.cms

Lokpal in parliament

Lokpal bill with constructional status was introduced  Lok Sabha today.  The Bill will be actually debated on December 27 after which it will be put to a vote. 
Different sides including  BJP, Team, and Lalu Prasad Yadav have all  rejected it for different reasons.

Looking at small time period  to debate in parliament, different MP's have said that the Bill must not be rushed through to satisfy the deadline or demands of Anna.

--THIS VERSION OF LOKPAL FACED FOLLOWING OBJECTIONS IN PARLIMENT TODAY (

Dec 22)--

• Team Anna taunting the government said that government's old Lokpal was better that this new one Or government had worsen the lokpal in the time given to them.
• Hazere objects to the fact that the Lokpal Bill does not hand over administrative control of the CBI to the new ombudsman or Lokpal. Without this, his group says, the CBI will continue to be influenced in its investigations by the government.
• Lalu also opposed for his own regions
   Last night, the government had removed the term 'minorities' where the Bill asks for a 50 per cent quota for the Lokpal. That's because the Constitution does not allow for reservation on the grounds of religion. But after Lalu led a raucous protest over this in the morning, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for a few hours. So Government decided  he minority quota would be reinstated through a correction in the language of the Bill
•  Senior leader Sushma Swaraj said, "The Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that reservation cannot cross 50 per cent. This Bill sets apart a quota for 'not less than 50 per cent.' There are nine members - so it suggests reservation for five members. So if we go with this Bill, it will be struck down in seconds as patently unconstitutional. This language is not acceptable. Take back the Bill."
  Mr Mukherjee agreed that the quota is likely to be challenged in court, but said the government wants the judiciary to settle the matter. 
• Ms Swaraj also said that the Bill violates the federal principles of the constitution by enforcing states to adopt it and create Lokayuktas or anti-corruption agencies. "This infringes upon the rights and dignity of states," she said.
• Lalu also made a lengthy speech. He said
   "Why are we letting a team of four people who include a retired bureaucrat, two retired lawyers, and a social activist dictate terms to Parliament? The country should be run by authority, not agitation"
•  Lalu objected to the inclusion of the Prime Minister among the offices that the Lokpal can investigate. "Hundreds of people will file politically-motivated cases, he said. What face will we show abroad if our leader travels there and he is being investigated at home?" He urged the government to ignore Anna's fast. "Let him look after his own health," he said. "Take back this Bill, send it to a standing committee, fix it and then convince us to pass it," he said.
• Gurudas Das Gupta of the Left was also unflinching in his criticism of Anna, describing him as "a man who pretends to be another father of the nation." He said, "There is no single crusader against corruption. Please don't be afraid of another hunger strike."
• Though this is the argument that the government has so often made, Mr Mukherjee had to defend the need to handle the Bill with urgency. He stressed that legislation can only be done in the House, not in agitations or on the street. But he also made the point that in August, both Houses of Parliament had appealed to Anna to end a 12-day fast by promising to consider his vision of the Lokpal Bill.

Editor's View: Well bill of  course lacks power, and it is clear from the reports and discussions, but more surprising element is that some MP's are lacking brain and maturity! Lalu Ji made a scam of Rs 950 crore and still is in parliament to present his views.
There are many MP's and incidents which erased our faith towards parliment. Cash for vote for example.After all this Image of parliment and government is not made by Team Anna , its a self made image!
 I demand government to perform an election with all new parties and to re-setup parliament with those new parties
then I guarantee that no one will ask question on or 'dictate' parliament's procedure

Source: (Important points from) http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/lokpal-bill-tabled-in-lok-sabha-160093

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Lokpal-bill-introduced-in-LS-parties-object-Anna-Hazare-fumes/articleshow/11208197.cms  

what lokpal is without cbi?

According to recent steps by government it seems that Lokpal will behave just like a complaint filing institute. 

•  Lokpal will conduct preliminary(or initial)  investigation into a corruption complaint and refer it to CBI for investigation.
• CBI would investigate the same and then forward the case to the directorate of public prosecution to be created under the supervision of Lokpal. 
• Any suggestion by the Lokpal for prosecution should be accepted. A rejection, if any, should come either from the secretary of the department(lokpal) concerned or a higher authority.
• The committee outlined a structure that harmonises or coordinates the roles of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal.
  

MAIN ARTICLE  
Problem is not that lokpal will undertake  initial  investigation but is that further investigation will be done by a institute which is promptly misused by any party in majority. If government does not want cbi under lokpal then its OK, but its is never good having government's control over cbi. So government should as a alternate solution to the situation at least take some steps to eradicate its own  control over cbi. Because if Cbi will be free from any political control then we also don't need it under lokpal.
However if opposite happens and government doesn't its own  control over cbi.  (which is actually happening) then all that will happen is that we will have same cbi(under political control) and a Lokpal without enough power for investigation, so I ask governmet how will the investigation be transparent and non-prejudiced ?and in that way how is this lokpal powerful.

COMMENTS ARE WELCOME AS ITS A DEBATE concerned articlehttps://twitter.com/#!/vinayaksharmav
http://www.facebook.com/vinayaksharma4 

UPDATE {21/12(1p)}

The winter session of Parliament, which was scheduled to end on December 22, has been extended by three days from December 27 to discuss Lokpal Bill and other legislations. 

Anna has threatened to go on hunger strike from December 27 if Parliament fails to pass a strong Lokpal Bill, but there is no unanimity among the different parties on the proposed Bill.the UPA has decided to withdraw the old draft and introduce a new one in Parliament even though several smaller parties have accused the Government of trying to rush though the proposed anti-corruption legislation. 

Even as UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi addressed Congress MPs and assured them that the government bend further to please Team Anna and the Opposition, the UPA withdrew the old bill and decided to introduce a new draft. The BJP has given its nod to this proposal.

She told her party colleagues that the Government won't go down without a fight on the Lokpal Bill and will ensure that it doesn't meet the same fate as the Women's Reservation Bill.

She also reiterated that the Government and the party were united on the issue and hit out at the Opposition in general and the BJP in particular for trying to derail the Lokpal Bill.

"The Lokpal Bill has been cleared by the Cabinet. The Opposition will have lots of things to say. They should accept suggestions of Government. Team Anna should also accept it. The Opposition cannot reconcile to the fact that they lost (the 2009 Lok Sabha elections). The party and Government support each other, there is no rift between the party and Government," said Sonia.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury have questioned the UPA Government's intention while making it clear that Parliament will not rush through the anti-corruption legislation in a hurry to please Hazare and his associates.
Mayawati-led Bhaujan Samaj Party is also against rushing through the Bill while the Shiv Sena has opposed the concept of a Lokpal completely. The BJP and Biju Janata Dal have also opposed the Government version, but want an early passage of the Bill.

The BJP is yet to reveal its strategy but it has said that the party is ready for a discussion on the Bill any day. It is likely to raise objections on the procedure of the appointment of the Lokpal panel.
However, Keeping up the heat, Team Anna on Wednesday attacked the government for keeping CBI out of Lokpal's ambit, saying it 'totally destroys' the anti-corruption mechanism in the country by not giving an investigating arm to the ombudsman.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the new bill will do "more harm than doing good" to the existing anti-graft machinery. Bedi said onTwitter, "The bill is not path breaking but breaking the path. Thank you Sonia G."

Source:http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lokpal-endgame-near-despite-anna-protest/213961-37-64.html

Lokpal Bill expected to be considered by Cabinet tomorrow(monday dec 19)

MAJOR SOURCE on this news (NDTV)

The Union Cabinet is expected to consider tomorrow (monday dec 19) the much-awaited Lokpal Bill.

 With the Union Cabinet set to discuss the Lokpal Bill tomorrow, sources have told NDTV(news org) that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will hold a high-level meet to give final touches to the Cabinet note on the bill. The high-level meet will be held to resolve all outstanding issues on the Lokpal Bill, the sources added.

The crucial Cabinet meeting precedes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance to all parties concerned with the government's commitment to pass the contentious bill in the current session of Parliament that ends on December 22. "No one should doubt our sincerity in passing the bill in this season," the Prime Minister said yesterday.

With the government under constant pressure by anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare for a strong Lokpal, the UPA government's top ministers -Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, Law Minister Salman Khurshid and Minister of State in the PMO V Narayansamy - met this evening to finalise the note on the proposed legislation to be circulated among the Cabinet meeting.

NDTV(major source) has exclusive information about the contours of the Lokpal Bill that will be brought to the Cabinet. Some of its key features are:

• The Prime Minister will be under Lokpal but with certain safeguards
• The PM can be referred for a preliminary probe if three-fourth of all Lokpal members agree
• The proceedings will be in camera, and the report will have to be sent to the Parliament
• On the issue of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the agency will report to the Lokpal only on cases referred to it by the ombudsman
• The CBI chief's appointment remains an outstanding issue and will be dealt with later, though in principle, the government agrees on a selection panel comprising the Prime Minister, the leader of the Opposition, the Lok Sabha speaker and the Lokpal chairman
• On the issue of the removal of the Lokpal, the government doesn't favour an impeachment
• The removal of the Lokpal can be done through a reference of the President
• If 100 MPs sign a petition against any Lokpal member, the President has to refer the complaint to the Supreme Court
  

BEING COPYRIGHTED WE CAN"T PUT/ TAKE ALL THE MATTER OF NDTV's ARTICLE SO PLEASE VISIT http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/pm-to-hold-high-level-meet-to-resolve-outstanding-issues-on-lokpal-sources-158911

Lokpal row: Anna warns govt with fast, jail bharo

 SEE why team anna is unhappy with standing committee's report

• Social activist Anna Hazare on Thursday said they will go on the fast from December 27 if the government does not pass the Lokpal Bill in this session of the parliament.
• Hazare also said that from the first day of new year (Jan 1, 2012), supporters of Jan Lokpal Bill will start bharo aandolan all over the country. 

•  He said that the activists will sit outside the house of the MPs of the parties which have opposed the anti-graft bill and force the govt to arrest them and put in jail.

• In case the bill is passed by the the Hazare plans to present important people in the govt with a rose. Hazare said that rose is meant to show the people in the govt how the the flower stays among thorns and still gives happiness to the people.

Earlier today, the govt acknowledged that consensus eluded the all-party meeting on Lokpal issue. However, parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the government was confident that it would be able to table the proposed bill in the winter session itself.

"I believe that it would be possible. Yesterday (Wednesday), there was an all-party meeting where 35 different parties participated. All had different views on the issue. To say there was broad consensus on the issue would be wrong. This has increased the work load of the government," Bansal said.
"How to compile these 35 different views and then also bringing in government views and to make amendments in the proposed bill," Bansal said, referring to the task at government's hand.
However, "We are working hard on it and I am confident we will be present it in this session," he said.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lokpal-row-Anna-warns-govt-with-fast-jail-bharo/Article1-782778.aspx

All-party meet on lokpal (December 14)

(Updated Coverage)

The all-party meeting convened by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the lokpal bill to attempt a consensus on the issue began on Wednesday(December 14).Leaders from different political parties met for almost three hours at the Prime Minister's residence.

• Opposition parties said The government has not given any assurance about bringing the bill in this session . However PM has assured that
  "  Government is keen that this lokpal should be passed  as far as possible on the basis of consensus among all parties that is driven by Parliament as the custodian of legislation."
   
• A majority of the parties agreed that the Prime Minister should be included, with safeguards, within the ambit of the Lokpal 
• Most parties also wanted the lower bureaucracy included;
  only the the Communist Party of India (CPI) held out on that.
  
• There was no  consensus on how much control the Lokpal should have over the CBI 
•  Most parties agreed that the Lokpal should have its own investigation wing, they were not in agreement on whether that should mean bringing the CBI under the Lokpal.
  The Left said the CBI must be "depoliticised' or should be away from the control of politicians or independent

The CBI's director, AP Singh, met with the Prime Minister earlier today(Wednesday,December 14) He reportedly said that

• The agency is willing to accept the Lokpal as its new boss, but the ombudsman must then be the only body with supervisory powers over the CBI. The CBI also wants all administrative, financial and legal powers to be vested in the agency's chief.
• What the CBI does not want is a bifurcation or branched division of the agency, which has been suggested by some parties, who believe that sections of it can be placed under the Lokpal, while others remain autonomous.
  

MORE 

Team Anna in reply said that it supports the CBI stand on need for autonomy in investigative powers, but has asked for the director to be appointed independentlyMain Opposition party, the BJP, aslo has the same opinion.They both want that director of the CBI and other senior officers to be appointed by an independent panel, not the government. And it wants total investigative freedom for the agency.

A parliamentary committee that studied the Lokpal Bill and submitted its report last week suggested that the Lokpal must conduct a preliminary inquiry into an allegation of corruption and then assign it to the CBI.  The committee also wants the Lokpal to sign off on the CBI's closure reports that signal the findings of its investigation. The CBI disagrees with both, arguing that these processes will weaken its ability to conduct efficient investigations.  For example, a preliminary inquiry, it says,  may alert the official under suspicion to likely action by the CBI, giving him or her enough notice to destroy or conceal evidence.

Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/All-party-meet-on-lokpal-begins-CBI-remains-a-sticky-issue/Article1-782406.aspx

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_want-lokpal-to-be-passed-on-basis-of-all-party-consensus-pm_1625850
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/govt-keen-to-pass-lokpal-bill-in-current-session-says-pm-at-all-party-meet-157956http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/All-party-meet-on-lokpal-begins-CBI-remains-a-sticky-issue/Article1-782406.aspxhttp://ibnlive.in.com/news/lokpal-allparty-meet-over-deadlock-remains/211956-37-64.htmlhttp://www.ndtv.com/article/india/lokpal-all-party-meet-ends-no-consensus-on-inclusion-of-cbi-157991

Team Anna Core Committee meeting

Team Anna's Core Committee  met on Wednesday (December 14)to chalk out future plans, including the proposed Ramlila Maidan agitation, if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

• Team Anna's core committee on Today's meet(Wednesday) decided that  Anna Hazare may shift his proposed fast later this month on Lokpal Bill from Delhi to Mumbai to avoid harsh winter conditions that could prevail in the capital. 
• The core committee also decided that its members will be in Parliament's Visitors' Gallery on the day when Lokpal bill will be introduced in the House, he told reporters. 

Core committee meeting will continue for two days from Wednesday.

Team Anna sources said the Core Committee will also discuss how to go ahead with their campaign in the five poll-bound state if the situation warrants. "There will be preliminary discussions on all these issues," a Team Anna member said.

Sources said the Core Committee will decide on the mode of Ramlila agitation like whether Hazare should sit on a fast or not and how to mobilise support for the protest, which will be held in chilly winter days.

There are also concerns about Hazare's health and all these factors will be considered while deciding on the protest mode, sources said.

Hazare has stepped up attack on the government on the issue bringing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the direct line of fire, saying the former "does not take any decision" and the latter was "watering down" proposals.

Congress has been insisting that Hazare should wait till Parliament passes the bill before going on a protest.

 Sources : http://ibnlive.in.com/news/team-anna-core-committee-meeting-today/211688-37-64.html

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Anna-Hazare-may-shift-fast-venue-from-Delhi-to-Mumbai-to-avoid-harsh-winter/articleshow/11108644.cms

Lokpal Bill likely to be taken up in Lok Sabha on Dec 19: Sources

  The government is prearing to begin a debate in Parliament on the Lokpal Bill on the 19th december. 

Anna , who is 74, has threatened to start  a hunger strike on December 27 if the government does not deliver a potent new law against graft this month.     
A parliamentary standing committee examining the Lokpal Bill has finalized its draft amidst dissent from members, including three Congress MPs. The report, which is not binding on the government, is likely to be tabled in Parliament on Friday. Rejecting the parliamentary panel's draft, Anna said the government is not serious about fighting corruption.( click here to see why team anna is upset by  standing committee's draft)

As per Sources  the government is heading towards accepting some of the key points that Anna has deemed essential for fighting corruption. The Prime Minister may be covered by the Lokpal Bill, though with safeguards; government sources say the Prime Minister may himself offer in Parliament that his office should be included in the Lokpal Bill. The government may also agree that 57 lakh junior bureaucrats will be accountable to the nine-member Lokpal. For now, what remains unresolved is the matter of who the CBI will report to - the government is not keen to change the investigating agency's current reporting structure. If that doesn't happen, Team Anna says, the CBI will remain vulnerable to political pressure. "I think the recommendations of the (Parliamentary) Standing Committee, whatever they are, the Lokpal which is coming, I don't think this will have any impact on corruption. On the contrary, it is likely to dismantle whatever exists in the name of anti-corruption in this country," said Arvind Kejriwal

•  Junior bureaucrats 
  One of Anna's non-negotiable demands is that the Lokpal Bill include junior bureaucrats - a feature the committee has not sanctioned.  Meenakshi Natrajan, Deepa Das Munsi and PT Thomas, all Congress members of the committee - formally registered their protest against Group C central government employees - who add upto 57 lakhs  -  not being brought under the Lokpal's ambit. The standing committee suggests the nine members of the Lokpal cannot manage this huge group. Instead, it recommends Group C employees should be investigated by the other autonomous anti-corruption body, the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).

• PM inclusion
  On the matter of whether the Lokpal should have the right to investigate the Prime Minister, the committee says it leaves the decision to Parliament because of differing opinions among its members.  

• CBI
  The standing committee recommends that the CBI seek the approval of the Lokpal both for chargesheets and for its closure or final reports on investigations. The CBI has taken strong exception to this on the grounds that it contradicts the objective of making the CBI autonomous. A statement from the agency said, "This provision goes against the stated objectives of making investigation agency autonomous, not answerable or liable to be monitored by either the administrative ministry or the Lokpal and protect the integrity of investigation."

Hosted From: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/lokpal-bill-likely-to-be-taken-up-in-lok-sabha-on-dec-19-sources-156156

Standing committee's decisions on PM's and CBI inclusion

The standing committee in a meeting on 16 november recommend that the CBI's anti-corruption wing be given more autonomy and be placed under the Lokpal's supervision.(However there is a provision of collective participation of lokpal and CBI instead of complete control by Lokpal)

•  Lokpal will conduct preliminary investigation into a corruption complaint and refer it to CBI for investigation.
• CBI would investigate the same and then forward the case to the directorate of public prosecution to be created under the supervision of Lokpal. 
• Any suggestion by the Lokpal for prosecution should be accepted. A rejection, if any, should come either from the secretary of the department(lokpal) concerned or a higher authority.
• The committee outlined a structure that harmonises or coordinates the roles of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal.

While some members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice felt that the Prime Minister should be brought under the Lokpal, others were of the view that this should be avoided.The Parliamentary panel on Lokpal bill, is divided on the inclusion of prime minister under the ambit of the anti-corruption watchdog.

The committee got at least four suggestions on the matter of the PM's inclusion.

• There were demands for completely excluding the PM and his office, particularly from Congress members. Team Anna had told the panel it was for complete inclusion of the PM and PMO.
•  Certain members said the PM's post could be brought under the Lokpal's ambit after the completion of his/her tenure.
• Another argument was that since the PM was in charge of departments such as personnel, public grievances & pensions, planning, atomic energy and space, all these will be out of the Lokpal's purview if the PM was excluded. They argued that only the departments that deal with national security can be excluded. Sources said all suggestions would find a place in the report.

Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/NewDelhi/Lokpal-to-get-part-control-of-CBI/Article1-769721.aspx

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-11-16/news/30405853_1_civil-society-activists-lokpal-team-anna

Anna to send 34 'Jan Lokpal missionaries' across nation . NDTV reports

Anna Hazere is working towards spreading awareness in the country on the proposed legislation that will arm an ombudsman (lokpal ) with extensive powers to check corruption.

On Sunday, Hazare decided that all the 34 district heads working for his Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Aandolan Trust (BVJAT) should go to all the states in the country to create awareness on the importance of the Jan Lokpal bill and explain to the public why it is imperative that Parliament pass it during the Winter Session.

At a two-day annual convention in Hazare's village Ralegansiddhi that had all senior representatives from BVJAT in attendance, the activist decided it was time to nominate his people to spread the word on the strong version of the bill that he wants passed.

"Anna's main concern is to get the Jan Lokpal bill passed in Parliament," said K D Pawar, city president of BVJAT, who attended the meeting. "Hazare recently visited five states in the country to get the pulse of the people and know what they feel about the Jan Lokpal bill. Now he wants us to go and create awareness in all the states in our country."

Booklet on bill
Hazare has prepared a booklet on the Jan Lokpal bill detailing its intention and scope in Marathi, and is planning to translate it into Hindi for all citizens. "There will not be any need to go to these states if the government passes the Jan Lokpal bill in the Winter Session," said Pawar.

BVJAT coordinator Shankar Tadakhe said Hazare was skeptical about the Jan Lokpal bill getting approved. "The first RTI bill was approved in 2000 but was opposed by Hazare himself because it did not cover his demands. If the same thing happens with Jan Lokpal Bill, he may even restart his nationwide agitation," he said.

The missionaries
A first list of 17 people from Anna Hazare's trust who will be visiting 22 states to build support for the Jan Lokpal bill has been made. These people from various places are:
Advocate Ajit Deshmukh (Beed), Uddhav Bobade (Usmanabad), Vikas More (Parabhani), Suresh Durve (Gondia), Chandrashekhar Bandage (Gadchiroli), Anil Thamre (Amrawati), Gajanan Harne (Akola), Jaiprakash Khot (Buldhana), Sudhir Deshmukh (Latur), Gopalrao Bele (Nagpur), Ashok
Sappan (Ahmadnagar), Bhavesh Patel (Mumbai), K D Pawar (Pune City), Radheshyam Jagtap (Pune District), Narayan Powar (Solapur), Ramrao Gorde (Aurangabad) and Bhagwan Phirange (Jalna).



Anna also declared that nobody should use his name while campaigning for elections(like Bjp is doing). "Those who want to contest an election  should contest on their own responsibility. I shall raise my voice against it if somebody is misusing my name for his or her campaign," Hazare said.

Hosted From: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/anna-to-send-34-jan-lokpal-missionaries-across-nation-152021

Lokpal can’t wipe out corruption completely: Hegde

Asserting that the Lokpal cannot completely wipe out corruption which is as old as the civilisation itself, Team Anna member Justice N Santosh Hegde on Tuesday said that if the menace could be contained up to 60-70 per cent, "we would be very strong".

"Let me be very frank. You can't eradicate corruption. Corruption is not born yesterday, last year, last century... Corruption was born with the birth of civilisation itself. Go through any scripture you will know corruption was there," he told a local television channel here.

However, he also said "Even if we have a strong door, robbery can still take place. Does it mean we will have no door at all,"
Hegde said, an institution like Lokpal could be created which could curb the growth of corruption and clean corruption to a certain extent. "Suppose, we are able to contain it up to 60 to 70 (per cent), I think economically, we would be very strong."

"An institution which is there to fight corruption will certainly create fear among the people who are not yet corrupt but likely to become corrupt," Hegde said.

Replying to a question on the government assurance that a strong Lokpal Bill would be brought in Parliament, Hegde said "One thing was certain that for 44 years they did not bring a Lokpal Bill and did not create a Lokpal institution. Now, that will come and that institution will be built,"

However, Hegde said, he did not think the government would bring a strong Lokpal Bill. "Against whom they will operate? Bill is against them, the Parliament members, the ministers, the bureaucrats... It will not be against you, me. 

On suggestions by Congress leaders that Lokpal would be a constitutional body, Hegde said though it was a good idea, "it is absolutely unnecessary". 

"If you want a constitutional body, you have to get two-third majority in Parliament which nobody as of today has," he said. 

Hegde also did not see any wrong in formulation of a law to right to recall or reject a member in the elections. 

Editor's view: Well constitutional status is necessary at all. They are looking at time but not looking how lokpal will bloom with a Constitutional status. Following benefits we will get  

Sourcehttp://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/lokpal-can-t-wipe-out-corruption-completely-hegde_741803.html

Govt wants to split Jan Lokpal with laws: Anna

Social activist Anna Hazare on Sunday said the government should not split the jan lokpal (its essence) in parts by bringing different laws to control corruption. “Why is government bringing separate laws when the jan lokpal is in progress?”

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said the government had plans to bring in three-four laws to make the jan lokpal an “empty pot”. “Those include the Whistleblower Protection Act, the Public Grievance and Redressal Bill and the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill their intention is clear.”

Editor's View: All the other bill may be useless but Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill is necessary to be with the Janlokpal to prevent corruption in judicial system without bringing Judiciary system under lokpal. As its important for Judiciary System to be not under any institute and to be independent.
Source:http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Maharashtra/Govt-wants-to-split-Jan-Lokpal-with-laws-Anna/Article1-768750.aspx 

Politics Behind Lokpal

what lokpal is without cbi?

According to recent steps by government it seems that Lokpal will behave just like a complaint filing institute. 

•  Lokpal will conduct preliminary(or initial)  investigation into a corruption complaint and refer it to CBI for investigation.
• CBI would investigate the same and then forward the case to the directorate of public prosecution to be created under the supervision of Lokpal. 
• Any suggestion by the Lokpal for prosecution should be accepted. A rejection, if any, should come either from the secretary of the department(lokpal) concerned or a higher authority.
• The committee outlined a structure that harmonises or coordinates the roles of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Central Vigilance Commission and Lokpal.

MAIN ARTICLE 
Problem is not that lokpal will undertake  initial  investigation but is that further investigation will be done by a institute which is promptly misused by any party in majority. If government does not want cbi under lokpal then its OK, but its is never good having government's control over cbi. So government should as a alternate solution to the situation at least take some steps to eradicate its own  control over cbi. Because if Cbi will be free from any political control then we also don't need it under lokpal.
However if opposite happens and government doesn't its own  control over cbi.  (which is actually happening) then all that will happen is that we will have same cbi(under political control) and a Lokpal without enough power for investigation, so I ask governmet how will the investigation be transparent and non-prejudiced ?and in that way how is this lokpal powerful.

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Corrupts in team Anna (politics behind Lokpal art-2 )

Kiran Bedi and Arvind Khejrival ,  are facing serious questions by nation,media and especially by politicians about their clean and corruption free character. Many records are intended to reveal some corrupt acts of these members.Kiran Bedi's records are saying that she got money to travel in first class but traveled in cheaper class to get rest of money . Khegrival is being accused of breaking  bond in which he said that he  work for the government for at least two years, but he worked for only one year. For this voilence  he is being asked to pay dues of 9 lakh to the government.

 I will not demand support for Kiran or Arvind but I want to aware all of you that the quest of LOKPAL should not loose strength because these facts maybe real but are presented to loose the strength of the movement, Kiran and Arvind may have done corrupt deeds but these records are being used by even more corrupts to degrade the gravity on LOKPAL . I say if you don't want to believe then don't believe any member of that organisation but PLEASE don't loose you tries and will to bring that bill. Than bill matters a lot and this is proved by the tense actions and trials of businessman and politicians. 

 Anna’s Hisar Play 

Anna Hazera demanded that not to vote congress if it does not shows positive signs of bringing Lokpal. Later his campaign on this topic became a political issue , since congress lost Hisar election. So is Anna going political?
The first think that we must understand here is that during these campaigns Anna in press conferences declared that both BJP and Congress are not serious about corruption, and both are trying to disrupt his image. So if Anna would be a supporter of RSS or BJP or any party then he would not have openly broadcasted such statements.

However, there is another question , Why then he did Hisar campaign ?
Answer is actually not easy to digest, maybe he did it to manage pressure on congress. Last time , before Anna’s second anshan the government tried a boastful attitude, so maybe Team Anna is taking precaution this time by managing pressure on government. But to how much extent this pressure is correct ? Or Is it required?
Let us peep some facts and history, Janlokpal is in standing committee of parliament , But standing committee is not PARLIAMENT! It means that standing committee just suggests to parliament and parliament is free to make his own agreements and disagreements over committee’s suggestions ! It may even reject the progress the bill made in standing committee and made its own reserch. Moreover there are some MPs who are still not willing to bring bill in country like LALU PRASHAD.

So if bill suffers in parliament then will Anna do another lengthy Anshan ? The Hisar campaigns may help in  skipping such lengthy Anshan by managing continuous pressure over government .Maybe that’s why team anna adopted it.

Still, However I will not say that this campaign is not benefiting  BJP.
But it maybe not the intentions of team Anna to benefit BJP, it maybe just the reverse effect of having only two main parties for national level, and in such condition if one party suffers other automatically gets benefits, so why to blame team Anna here?

Copyright: VinayakSharma