Government, civil society deadlocked over Lokpal Bill
The differences between the government and Team Hazare on the Lokpal bill widened on Wednesday with the joint drafting committee deciding that the two sides will prepare their own versions of the anti-graft legislation for consideration of the cabinet.
The seventh meeting of the 10-member panel of government and civil society representatives, which is drafting anti-corruption legislation, ended on a bitter note. Civil rights activist Arvind Kejriwal accused the government of dishonest intentions, while Prashant Bhushan said there were 'too many fundamental differences between' them and the government.
After a marathon meeting that lasted over two hours, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal admitted that 'there were areas of strong divergence of opinion' between the civil activists and the government.
'It is clear that there are strong areas of divergence. We have agreed to meet again June 20-21,' Sibal, a member of the joint drafting panel, told reporters.
Text: IANS
Images: PTI
Image: Social activist Anna Hazare along with other members of Lokpal Bill drafting committee, Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan come out after a meeting of the panel in New Delhi on Wednesday.
