New Delhi, July 29 (ANI): A day after the Union Cabinet approved the draft of the Lokpal Bill, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday urged the civil society activists to trust the government on the provisions of the legislation.
Speaking on the sidelines of a function here, Khurshid criticized the civil society activists for questioning the government's sincerity in tackling the graft.
"Everywhere there are constraints, everywhere there is a rational way of handling, everywhere there is a time period that it takes, but we should be sincere. The problem is that in this country, if we are going to question each other's sincerity and honesty, then there will be nothing left," said Khurshid.
"We are prepared to accept their being honest, they are not prepared to us being honest. You cannot have a dialogue unless you trust the other side," he added.
The civil society activists of the drafting committee have voiced their apprehensions on the approved Bill, stressing the government appeared to be 'not serious' in curbing corruption.
Charging the government of bringing a fractured Lokpal Bill, veteran social activist Anna Hazare said in Maharashtra's Ralegaon Siddi town on Thursday that he would sit on a protest at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 16.
"The entire country will protest with me at Jantar Mantar on August 16...This is not Hazare's protest but the entire country's. The people need to look at this as a second fight for their freedom and they should all come out on the streets," Hazare said.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the official draft of the Lokpal Bill and trashed the key proposals moved by Team Anna.
The Bill provides for the establishment of the institution of Lokpal to inquire into allegations of corruption against certain public functionaries and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
The Bill envisages setting up the institution of Lokpal consisting of a chairperson and eight members with the stipulation that half of the members shall be judicial members.
It will have its own Investigation Wing and Prosecution Wing with such officers and staff as are necessary to carry out its functions.
The Lokpal shall inquire into allegations of corruption made in respect of Prime Minister, after he has demitted office; a Minister of the Union; a Member of Parliament; any Group "A" officer or equivalent; Chairperson or member or officer equivalent to Group "A" in any body/ Board/ corporation/ authority/ company/ society/ trust/ autonomous body established by an Act of Parliament or wholly or partly financed or controlled by the Central Government; any director, manager, secretary or other officer of a society or association of persons or trust wholly or partly financed or aided by the government or in receipt of any donations from the public and whose annual income exceeds such amount as the Central Government may by notification specify.
However, the organisations created for religious purposes and receiving public donations would be outside the purview of Lokpal.
The Lokpal shall not require sanction or approval under Section 197 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 or Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, in cases where prosecution is proposed.
The Lokpal will also have powers to attach the property of corrupt public servants acquired through corrupt means. (ANI)
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