New Delhi: The Lokpal Bill is likely to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, said Satyavrat Chaturvedi, who chaired the select committee that looked into the anti-corruption bill.
His statement came as Gandhian activist Anna Hazare’s indefinite fast in his village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra demanding passage of the Lokpal bill entered its third day.
“The government has proposed a discussion on Lokpal bill on Monday,” Chaturvedi told reporters here. Six hours have been allotted for the discussion, he added.
Hazare yesterday said he would continue the fast till the bill is passed.
“It is a matter of three days (before Monday)... it will not make any difference,” he said. “At the most I will lose 500-600 gm of weight. I will fast as long as the parliament session goes on,” he said.
Hazare also added that he will see the version of the Lokpal bill once it is passed and whether it is strong or not.
The BJP meanwhile offered to pass the bill without debate if it is brought exactly as the select committee of Rajya Sabha amended it. “We don’t want any more discussions on the Lokpal bill, pass it in Rajya Sabha, and then in Lok Sabha,” Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said but stressed that the bill should come as it was amended by the select committee of Rajya Sabha.
“Cabinet has no right to amend the bill, it is a property of Rajya Sabha. The bill should come as it was amended by the select committee,” he said. Earlier, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that a notice for taking up the bill has already been given to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Hamid Ansari.
“Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) V Narayanasamy has already sent a notice that the (Lokpal) bill be immediately taken up in the Rajya Sabha,” he told reporters here. IANS
