Divide among members echoes in meet on Lokpal

According to Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, civil society members had clarified that the allegations were not directed against any individual.

Briefing the media after the three-hour-long meeting, Sibal said: “It was asked when did the government cheat or backtrack from its promise to bring strong Lokpal Bill as alleged by some of the civil society members to which they said statements were not made against any individual and they attributed it to people outside the committee.” Notably, Anna Hazare, who is spearheading the movement against corruption, had suggested yoga guru Baba Ramdev  during his  fast against corruption that “the government is very clever and not to rely on it.”

 However after Wednesday’s meeting, Sibal said the people of the country now know that “they did not make direct statements against us” and that “we hope such statements are not repeated.” As the members of the government and the civil society failed to arrive at a consensus on the draft of Lokpal Bill, it has become clear that most likely two versions of the Bill will be sent to the Cabinet.