Public feedback on Lokpal Bill: Is govt's ad an eye-wash?

New Delhi, Aug 21: The government on Saturday, Aug 20 put up an ad on Lokpal Bill in several leading newspapers asking public feedback on the anti-corruption bill. However, many termed the government's latest move as an "eye-wash".

The standing Parliamentary committee, on the behalf of the government, urged people to send their views and suggestions on the proposed bill within 15 days, ie Sep 4.

Citing the ad, it seems that the committee tried to hint that passing Lokpal Bill within Aug 30 (the deadline given by the Team Anna) is somehow impossible as the Monsoon Session of the House will end on Sep 8.

Meanwhile, Abhishek Singhvi, the chairman of the standing committee of the Parliament, said it would not be possible to meet Hazare's deadline of passing the bill by Aug 30.

"If we follow the detailed procedure as laid in the tradition and complete the job by August 31 and present the bill, you will make fun of our committee and say that you did work without seriously applying your mind," stated Singhvi.

The government's ad received the major criticism from Team Anna as one of its member - Arvind Kejriwal termed the advertisement as a "time-wasting exercise."

Kejriwal earlier had asserted, "We had requested the standing committee to send it back to the government. There is no point in wasting time on a totally wrong bill."

Meanwhile, another aide of Anna, Kiran Bedi also claimed that the government should have shown both Lokpal and Jan Lokpal bill on the ad. Bedi, slamming the government, claimed that only a detailed comparison of the two drafts can clarify people about the reson behind the fuss between the government and Team Anna led by the 74-year-old Gandhian crusader whose fast entered the sixth day on Sunday, Aug 21.

OneIndia News