By IANS,
New Delhi : The day-long long extraordinary debate on the Lokpal issue Saturday ended with the Lok Sabha adopting “a sense of house” that included an in-principle acceptance of three key demands of Anna Hazare. There was, however, neither any resolution nor a voice vote that was expected at the end of the debate.
Replying to the over eight-hour debate on the Lokpal issue in a special sitting of parliament, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee expressed “a broad sense of the house” expressing an in-principle acceptance of three key demands that brought the government and civil society activists on a collision course.
These included an agreement on the citizens’ charter, the bringing of the lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal and the setting up of Lokayuktas in the state.
Amid the thumping of desks from MPs, Mukherjee made it clear that the outcome of the proceedings will be submitted to the parliamentary standing committee examining the Lokpal bill. The standing committee will bring a revised legislation to the House, he said.
“It will be subjected to the parliamentary standing committee and then it will be brought to the house,” he said, adding that it will be parliament which will eventually decide on the final legislation.
“Our democracy is powerful enough, strong enough and flexible enough to accommodate different viewpoints,” he said.
Mukherjee Saturday took a subtle dig at Team Anna, saying there is a distinction between democracy and mobocracy.
“To say that the government bill should be withdrawn and to burn it in public. This is not democratic behaviour,” Mukherjee said.
“There is a distinction between democracy and mobocracy,” he said while alluding to the deadlines set by Anna and his associates for passing their version of the Jan Lokpal bill in the current session of parliament.
Parliament “does not necessarily follow the conventional way of lawmaking,” he said. “India is the largest democracy. It is a functional democracy,” he added.
“I accept the lapse of our governments,” said Mukherjee. “One piece of legislation, however strong and empowered it may be, cannot completely eradicate corruption,” he said, reiterating his party line.