Anna praises govt's move to disclose Lokpal tapes

New Delhi, Oct 10: Social activist and India's face against corruption, Anna Hazare welcomed the government's move to release the audio recordings of the Jan Lokpal Bill drafting committee meetings. Anna said that this leads to more transparency and will help to bring back people's faith in the government.

Sources said that government will only release some selective portions of committee proceedings and that will not hamper government's work on drafting the Lokpal bill.

The government and team Anna had failed to arrive at a consensus on the Lokpal Bill after attending several meetings on July, 2011 leading to Anna's fast at Ramlila Maiden. After one month, the parliament finally resolved to enact an effective Lokpal. The decision of the government to make audio recordings of the Lokpal joint drafting committee public could give some real pictures about government discussion on Team Anna's demands on Lokpal Bill.

Earlier, the Department of Personnel and Training had urged the Law Ministry to disclose the records of the closed door meetings between the team Anna and government representatives.

Former Karanataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde said, "My only problem is that if they edit it or if they do it in the manner not in the larger interest of the conversation that took place between the two groups, then it will create some controversy."

"Whatever is allowed and necessary under the RTI will be allowed," said Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

Meanwhile, team Anna has already launched their anti-congress campaign at Hissar by-polls. They have threatened to take out the campaign in other states too if government fails to pass the bill in the winter session of the parliament.

OneIndia News