All-party meet unlikely to give common view on a strong Lokpal

New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) The all-party meeting convened by
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday is unlikely to come
out with a common view on the Lokpal legislation with NDA
(National Democratic Alliance) and Left parties playing
hardball and the government yet to finalise its draft bill.
The two formations on Saturday decided to attend the
meeting on Lokpal on Sunday but will not give their views till
government presents its draft measure while Anna Hazare met
Congress President Sonia Gandhi seeking her support for
inclusion of the Prime Minister and the higher judiciary
within its ambit.
At Sunday's meeting, the government is expected to
present to the parties a comparative draft of the provisions
of the Lokpal Bill suggested by the civil society and those
put forward by the five union ministers in the Joint Drafting
Committee.
The major points of difference between the two sides
inclusion of the Prime Minister, higher judiciary, MPs'
conduct inside Parliament and CBI's anti-corruption wing
within the ambit of Lokpal, lower bureaucracy across the
country, mode of financing and the selection panel will be
brought to the table.
BJP, which is not disclosing its views on the Lokpal
Bill, and its allies JD(U), Akali Dal and Shiv Sena met here
today to decide their strategy on tomorrow's meeting convened
by the government to evolve a consensus.
After a meeting of NDA leaders, the BJP-led formation
indicated it would respond only to a draft legislation
approved by the union cabinet and introduced in Parliament.

While NDA allies JD(U) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) were
in favour of attending the all-party meeting, BJP was
initially in two minds on whether to participate or keep away.
Another ally Shiv Sena will not attend tomorrow's meeting
due to some differences with civil rights activist Hazare who
spoke against its chief Bal Thackeray a few days ago.
BJP itself is said to be having reservations against
civil society demands like inclusion of higher judiciary and
MPs' conduct in Parliament because this would go against the
constitutional provisions.
Explaining the Left parties' stand, CPI(M) General
Secretary Prakash Karat said they would attend the meeting but
since the government has not given its own draft bill the
parties would give their views only when they get it.
Accusing Congress of going back on its earlier stand of
including Prime Minister in the Bill, Karat said the office of
the Prime Minister should be included as it was not immune
from the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Law should be amended even to check acts of corruption by
MPs, he said.
Meanwhile, stepping up his campaign Hazare and his
colleagues met Gandhi and pressed for inclusion of the Prime
Minister and the judiciary under the ambit of the legislation.
When asked if she was still close to Jerome, Maria
replied in the negative.
"I am here with you. How can I be close to him," she
said. On whether they were still "just friends", she shot back
with a terse "no".
Despite media's insistence, she refused to speak
anything about the case, as advised by her lawyer.
Maria earlier appeared composed as she walked out of
the Byculla jail and later escorted to a waiting car by a
posse of policemen due to huge presence of media contingent
outside the prison.
Talking to reporters at his Kanpur home after the
conclusion of Maria's press interaction, Amarnath Grover said
he will pursue the case in a higher court.
"We will pursue the case. Destruction of evidence by
Maria is a disgraceful act," he added
Ashok Pandit justified the protests saying he cannot
see a "killer" walking free.
"We have made this a citizen's movement--Justice for
Neeraj Grover. We have started our movement from today. We
will appeal to the higher judiciary," Pandit said.