Anna Hazare Lokpal Bill: Committee Composition

New Delhi, Apr 9: The Congress led UPA government approved Gandhian crusader Anna Hazare's demand of a joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill to save India from corruption. A wave of nation-wide protest and a challenge of 'fast-unto-death' compelled the government to accept India's urge.

Government spokesperson and Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, after meeting with Hazare's followers - social activists Swamy Agnivesh and Arvind Kajriwal, announced that the government will set up a joint committee as it was demanded by Hazare. The 10 member joint committee will have five representatives from government's side and five from the civil society. The joint-committee composition has been mentioned below -

Representatives of civil society:

Former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan (Co-chairman)

Anna Hazare

Eminent lawyer Prashant Bhushan

Retired Supreme Court Judge Santosh Hegde

RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal

Government representatives:

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee (Chairman)

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal

Law Minister Veerappa Moily

Water Resources Minister Salman Khursheed

Home Minister P Chidambaram

Citing government's approval, Anna Hazare ended his five-day long hunger strike on Saturday, Apr 9. The government vowed to bring the Lokpal Bill in the coming Monsoon Session of the Parliament.

However, many started fearing about the future of the bill as the nation knows about several bills which have become the main topic of discussion and debate but have not been passed yet in Parliament. The women's reservation bill is pending for the past one year which was introduced and passed only in the Rajya Sabha.

Though, Anna Hazare assured his followers and all Indians that if the government doesn't pass the Lokpal Bill by Aug 15 (Parliament Monsoon Session), he will join the country in a "dharna" (rally) at the red fort on the Independence Day.

The 72-year-old protester also claimed that his followers will take the names and address of all the supporters, and vowed to contact them if they (Hazare) will resume their protest against the government and the corruption.

OneIndia News