New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Thursday said the government should clarify its position on the proposed anti-corruption Lokpal bill so that state governments can give their views on the issue.
Referring to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s letter earlier this month asking political parties and state governments for their perspective on the bill, Nitish Kumar said: ‘Then, I had written back to him that government should first say what it wants. Now, they have given us two drafts… but if they give us only one draft and clarify their position, it is easier to give point to point comments.’
Nitish Kumar, who met civil society activists led by Anna Hazare, said he would study their draft on the Lokpal (ombudsman) bill to counter corruption in public life.
‘I had discussions today with Anna Hazare, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi who told me all about their draft. I will study it all and also discuss it within our party and supporting parties,’ the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader told reporters.
He said there needed to be discussions on the bill so the all-party meeting on July 3 is more effective.
According to Nitish Kumar, his government had already taken anti-corruption measures, including the setting up of special courts.
Veteran Gandhian Hazare was all praise for Nitish Kumar and said the Bihar chief minister was already implementing a lot of the measures suggested in their Jan Lokpal draft.
‘The entire bureaucracy should be brought under the lokpal, and that’s what he has done in a time bound programme. Today, he is Bihar’s chief minister, but his real roots lies in being an activist,’ said Hazare.
Civil society activist Kejriwal added that Nitish Kumar had assured them that his government was planning to use the draft Jan Lokpal bill as a model for the establishment of Lokayukta in the state. ‘He told us that he will call us to Patna to consider this.’
‘He not only supports the key issues but also wants an effective Lokayukta in Bihar. This is leadership,’ Bedi tweeted after the meeting.
