NEW DELHI: Contrary to the expectations of their supporters among the political class, the Anna Hazare campaign has decided not to drop their insistence that the proposed Lokpal be armed with powers to tap phones.
While the BJP has argued with Hazare's representatives against tapping powers for the Lokpal, the pitch has failed to wash with the activists. "We think that an independent bench of the Lokpal will be better placed to take a decision on phone tapping. We will definitely not consider excluding this section," said Prashant Bhushan.
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Saturday, leader of opposition Arun Jaitley had argued against equipping the Lokpal with the authority to place tabs on phones.
Section 29(12) the Jan Lokpal Bill says, "The appropriate bench of the Lokpal shall be deemed to be the designated authority under section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act empowered to approve interception and monitoring of messages or data or voice transmitted through telephones, internet or any other medium as covered under the Indian Telegraph Act read with Information and Technology Act 2000 and as per rules and regulations made under the Indian Telegraph Act 1885."
The dispute over tapping powers for Lokpal apart, the activists also seem to be heading for a confrontation with sections of the political class over the latter's demand for quota for SC/STs, minorities, OBCs and women in the Lokpal panel.
Team Anna is unlikely to support the demand for quota for SC/ST, minorities and women in the Lokpal panel despite a strong demand from dalit leaders and representatives of regional parties. The quota call found a strong expression on Monday when P L Punia, chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, demanded quota for dalits, tribals, minorities, OBCs as well as women in the search and selection committees for Lokpal as well as the final panel they constitute.
Sources in the Hazare group ruled out any re-think on the issue of introducing quotas in the panel, although they said there would be reservations in recruitment for the investigating agency that will be created under the Lokpal. "There can be no possibility of quota within the Lokpal panel but recruitment for officials in the investigation wing could be done on the lines of government recruitment," the source said.
Leaders of BSP, LJP and RJD were vocal in their demand for "representation" of SC/STs, OBCs and minorities in the proposed Lokpal during the all-party meeting convened by PM Manmohan Singh earlier this month. These parties are also represented on Parliament's standing committee that has to prepare the final draft of the Lokpal Bill.
All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations has also demanded the inclusion of dalits and minorities in the watchdog. The confederation, which will be meeting the PM later this week to press for its demand, has drafted a Bahujan Lokpal Bill that advocates representation of the backward communities in the Lokpal Bill.
In his speech in the Lok Sabha, JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav forcefully advocated the need for representation of various communities. "This House is the mirror of society. Parliament and the state assemblies are sole places which reflect the true character of the country. This is not the case anywhere else," he said.
He named and gestured towards the MPs of backward and tribal communities in the Lok Sabha during his speech to highlight the virtues and importance of proper representation of various communities.
Yadav was learnt to have supported the demands for representation of various sections of people in the proposed Lokpal during the all-party meeting too.
SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav echoed similar sentiments in Lok Sabha and also during the all-party meet. "I had said it earlier, and repeating again... Lokpal Bill should provide for representation of dalits, backward classes, minorities along with other sections. That Lokpal will be considered an appropriate one," he said in the Lok Sabha while participating in the discussion on the issue of corruption.
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