Stormy start to Lok Pal Bill debate in Lok Sabha

The much-awaited Lok Pal Bill was today taken up for consideration by the Lok Sabha on a stormy note with the Opposition demanding its withdrawal contending it was full of deficiencies, even as the government asserted that it had sought to strike a fine balance.

Moving the Bill for consideration, Minister for Personnel V Narayanasamy asserted thesupremacy of Parliament saying "we need to bow our heads to this House only and not before anyone else", apparently referring to Anna Hazare.

Narayanasamy contended that the Lok Pal and Lokayukta Bill had several unique features like confiscation of properties of any person believed to have committed an offence relating to
corruption.

As the minister was speaking, RJD chief Lalu Prasad was on his feet claiming that the Lok Pal Bill was an attack on the federal structure of the Constitution.

When Narayanasamy referred to setting up of Lokayuktas and lack of anti-corruption ombudsman in Gujarat, AIADMK and BJP members were on their feet shouting slogans against the government.

Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj dubbed the Bill as full of deficiencies and wanted "the weak bill" to be sent back to the Parliamentary Standing Committee so as to make it "effective and strong".

"Accept our amendments or withdraw the Bill... Send it back to standing committee for further discussion," she said while describing it as a "patently unconstitutional" legislation which the Opposition will not "tolerate".

Prasad also demanded withdrawal of the Bill contending that it was brought in "haste under pressure" from Anna Hazare.