Senior BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani expressed hope that the discussion in Lok Sabha will enable a strong Lokpal. He appealed to Anna Hazare to end his fast.
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said that BJP will vote in favour of all three issues raised by Hazare team if govt brings a resolution.She said history has given the House an opportunity to pass this legislation and it should not miss it by getting entangled in technicalities.
Participating in the debate, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said the debate should firstly limit its aim to reaching a consensus so that Hazare can end his fast.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said in the Upper House that BJP finds considerable merit in Hazare's three demands, including covering entire bureaucracy and Citizens' Charter for public grievances under Lokpal and setting up Lokayuktas in states.
On a question posed by Pranab Mukherjee that whether a central legislation can dictate state bureaucracy, Jaitley said that state legislatures can pass the bill as enabling legislation while the Lokpal bill serves as the model to it.
On other contentious aspects like bringing Prime Minister under purview of Lokpal, Jaitley favoured it with the exceptions of certain areas like national security.
On inclusion of higher judiciary under Lokpal, Jaitley said there was need for a National Judicial Commission, because judges should not appoint judges.Jaitely found "greater merit" in having a Citizens' Charter for redressal of grievances of the common man.
CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said he agreed 'in-principle' with the three issues raised by the team Anna but they will have to be implemented through constitutional procedures.
He said he wanted a new bill to be presented before Parliament which should be a "combination of best features of all the bills" including the Jan Lokpal Bill.
The Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar voiced concerns in Rajya Sabha over demands like bringing the Prime Minister, conduct of MPs inside Parliament and lower bureaucracy under Lokpal's ambit.
Ashwani Kumar further said he was "distressed" by what was going on in Ramlila ground, where Anna Hazare is on fast for last 12 days demanding the passage of Jan Lokpal bill by Parliament.
Cautioning against provisions for appointment of Lokayuktas in states as suggested in Hazare's Jan Lokpal Bill, he said, "No attempts must be raised which could raise doubts about our intention, about the integrity of our federal structure."
He cautioned against rushing through the legislation "in haste or under pressure from people outside the House."
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