By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday said the “immature” government needed to be pitied for mishandling the Lokpal bill issue with the civil society members and social activists.
Senior BJP leader Murli Manmohan Joshi at a news conference here, however, refused to air the party’s view on whether the prime minister’s post should come within the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman.
“We will put forward our point of view when the draft comes to us… The government has mishandled this issue. This is a very immature government. I pity them,” Joshi told reporters.
He was referring to Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal’s remarks Sunday that there would be no future tie-ups with the civil society on law-making following controversies in the Lokpal bill joint drafting committee, which has five activists representing civil society.
“They didn’t seek our suggestion before setting up the panel. First, they welcomed them and four ministers went to receive Baba Ramdev at the airport. Now they are keeping them at arm’s length. I am surprised to see this,” Joshi said.
Sibal said Sunday the Lokpal bill joint drafting committee with activists could not be a precedent and such collaborations on law-making were unlikely in the future.
Joshi said the BJP wanted the government to bring the Lokpal draft bill to parliament but remained non-committal if the opposition party would support it.
“That depends on the provisions in the bill. Let them table it,” he said.