Parliament to decide Lok Pal Bill's fate: PM

Meeting head-on the threat given by social activist Anna Hazare on the Lok Pal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said the fate of the crucial anti-corruption legislation would be decided in the coming monsoon session and Parliament must be allowed to function and do its duty.

After attending an all-party meeting a day before the start of the monsoon session, Singh said the Cabinet had decided not to keep the office of the Prime Minister under the ambit of the Lok Pal because it was not advisable. The decision was taken by the government after taking all factors into account.

He had earlier said he was not against bringing the office of the Prime Minister under the ambit of the Lok Pal. “Well, our government has taken a view taking all factors into account. It would not be advisable to bring the Prime Minister within the purview of the Lok Pal, except when he demits office,” Singh told reporters.

Hazare has accused the Union government of preparing a weak Lok Pal Bill, which was passed by the Cabinet on July 28. He has decided to go on an indefinite fast in Delhi from August 16. The government is expected to table the Lok Pal Bill in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

To Hazare’s threat of starting another movement on the issue of the Lok Pal, Singh said, “As you know, we are ready with the Lok Pal Bill. The Bill's fate will be decided by Parliament. In a democracy, Parliament is a sovereign body, it should be allowed to function and discharge its duty.”

Singh also attacked the Opposition parties.

“We are not afraid of discussing issues of corruption. The Opposition also has too many skeletons in its cupboard. We are not afraid of discussing any issue,” he said.

The Prime Minister met President Pratibha Patil for about half an hour to discuss about the monsoon session.

With the Opposition planning to attack the government on the controversial allocation of 2G spectrum and the alleged role of Home Minister P Chidambaram as the then finance minister, Singh retaliated by cautioning that Parliament must not pre-judge the issue as the matter was before the court.

“The matter is before court. It should be left to be decided by the court and Parliament should not pre-judge the issue,” he said.

The Prime Minister’s attack the Opposition was not taken well by the principal opposition party, Bharatiya Janata Party, which accused him of starting a confrontation even before the session started. The monsoon session would continue for five weeks.

“See, he has started it. The government is free to bring out all the arrows in its quiver. Let us see who has more arrows in its quiver,” said Sushma Swaraj, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.