PM-led CCPA meets in view of Ramdev's agitation threat

The two-hour meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is believed to have deliberated on ways that could be adopted to deal with the matter.

The meeting, among other things, is understood to have discussed the possibility of deputing some ministers to talk to Ramdev and persuade him not to go ahead with his threat of undertaking hunger strike from June 4.

The government, after facing the difficult situation created by Hazare’s stir, is keen to avoid recurrence of such a situation that Ramdev’s fast could create. Earlier, the government had deputed Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath and Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman Sudhir Chandra to persuade him not to undertake the agitation but the effort failed.

The CCPA is believed to have discussed the deliberations of Monday’s meeting of Lokpal bill drafting committee which ended on a bitter note.

The civil society members in the committee accused the government of having a “negative” attitude as their proposal to bring the prime minister, higher judiciary, MPs and bureaucrats under the purview of Lokpal was not accepted.

The CCPA meeting was attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister A K Antony, Law Minister Veerappa Moily, Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh and Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran.