PM Manmohan Singh gets opposition to speak Anna Hazare way

When it comes to the Lokpal, there is no problem with respect to the first step. Manmohan Singh has virtually led the entire political spectrum to echo the civil society’s demand for a strong Lokpal.

Leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj has, however, dashed the hopes of the bill getting through the parliament in the monsoon session. She has made it clear that the bill could be introduced in this session and forwarded to the standing committee for further discussions, and then after the usual processes are gone through the bill could probably be brought in the winter session. This would imply the government would be able to claim it has fulfilled part of its commitment on the bill, merely by introducing it in the monsoon session.

The PM made it clear the government wants a “strong, effective and quick institutional arrangement for tackling corruption”, but said in the same breath it would have “to work in harmony with other institutions and laws and within the framework of the basic structure of our Constitution”.