लोकपाल की तकदीर पर कैबिनेट की बैठक टली

नई दिल्ली: लोकपाल बिल का भविष्य आज तय नहीं हो पाएगा, क्योंकि स्टार न्यूज़ से सूत्रों से मिली जानकारी के मुताबिक शाम को कैबिनेट की बैठक में इस बिल पर चर्चा नहीं होगी.

सूत्रों का मुताबिक इस बिल का परिवर्तित ड्राफ्ट तैयार नहीं है और ऐसे में कल शाम या परसों सुबह इस बिल पर चर्चा के लिए कैबिनेट की बैठक बुलाई जा सकती है.

इस बिल में विवाद की सबसे बड़ी जड़ सीबीआई है और अब सवाल यह ही है कि कैबिनेट सीबीआई को लेकर क्या फैसला करती है. इस बीच अन्ना हजारे ने प्रधानमंत्री पर ही वादाखिलाफी का आरोप जड़ दिया है. अन्ना ने प्रधानमंत्री की नीयत पर सवाल खड़ा करते हुए कहा है कि सरकार इस बिल को लेकर टालमटोल का रवैया अपना रही है.

दूसरी ओर प्रधानमंत्री मनमोहन सिंह ने ये कहकर साफ कर दिया है कि कैबिनेट जब आज बैठेगी तो लोकपाल बिल के ड्राफ्ट पर बात तो ज़रूर होगी, लेकिन अभी भी ये सस्पेंस बना हुआ है कि आखिर अन्ना हजारे को मनाने के लिए मनमोहन सिंह कितना झुकेंगे और किन-किन मुद्दों पर झुकेंगे.

स्टार न्यूज को जानकार सूत्रों से मिली जानकारी के मुताबिक सरकार लोकपाल के दायरे में प्रधानमंत्री के पद को लाने पर राजी हो सकती है, लेकिन यह फैसला कुछ शर्तों के साथ होगा.

'बात बन सकती है'

टीम अन्ना के अहम सदस्य अरविंद केजरीवाल ने स्टार न्यूज़ के कार्यक्रम में संकेत दिए कि इस पर बात बन सकती है.

अन्ना को मनाने के लिए ग्रुप 'सी' के कर्मचारियों को लोकपाल के दायरे में लाया जाना भी तय लग रहा है.

लोकपाल में अनुसूचित जाति, जनजाति, ओबीसी, अल्पसंख्यक, महिलाओं को 50 फीसदी आरक्षण दिया जा सकता है. टीम अन्ना को भी आरक्षण देने पर एतराज़ नहीं है.

लोकपाल और सदस्यों के चयन का जिम्मा पीएम, लोकसभा स्पीकर, विपक्ष के नेता, चीफ जस्टिस या उनकी ओर से नियुक्त जज और राष्ट्रपति की ओर से नामाँकित कोई गणमान्य व्यक्ति के पैनल को सौंपा जा सकता है.

लोकपाल को हटाने के लिए कुछ प्रक्रिया अपनाई जा सकती है कि 100 सांसद राष्ट्रपति को शिकायत लिखकर दें, राष्ट्रपति सुप्रीम कोर्ट को याचिका बढ़ाएं और सुप्रीम कोर्ट का फैसला लोकपाल या सदस्य के खिलाफ हो तो उसे हटाया जा सकता है. साथ ही लोकपाल संसद के प्रति जवाबदेह होगा.

जन-शिकायतों के लिए जो बिल आना है उसमें लोकपाल को दूसरी संस्था बनाई जा सकती है जहां लोग अपील कर सकें. लोकपाल बिल से ही राज्यों में लोकायुक्तों की नियुक्ति की बात पहले ही मानी जा चुकी है.

सीबीआई का सवाल

सबसे बड़ा सवाल सीबीआई को लेकर फंसा हुआ है. सर्वदलीय बैठक में भी पार्टियों के बीच एक राय नहीं थी कि लोकपाल के तहत सीबीआई को लाया जाए या नहीं. सरकार सीबीआई लोकपाल को देना नहीं चाहती और टीम अन्ना का कहना है कि सीबीआई ही लोकपाल की आत्मा है.

टीम अन्ना की मांग है कि सीबीआई निदेशक की नियुक्ति की प्रक्रिया भी वही हो जो लोकपाल की होगी लेकिन सरकार ने मन बनाया है कि सीबीआई निदेशक की नियुक्ति प्रधानमंत्री, विपक्ष का नेता और लोकपाल का पैनल करे. अन्ना ने भी प्रधानमंत्री को चिट्टी लिखकर कहा है कि अगर सीबीआई नहीं तो किसी काम का नहीं होगा लोकपाल.

लोकपाल को लेकर अन्ना हजारे का रुख लगातार सख्त होता जा रहा है. कैबिनेट की बैठक से ठीक एक दिन पहले अन्ना हजारे ने सरकार को चेतावनी भी दे दी और अपनी मंशा भी जता दी है.

अन्ना ने शनिवार को प्रधानमंत्री को एक चिट्ठी भी लिखी है इस उलाहने के साथ कि आपने वादाखिलाफी की. अन्ना ने चिट्ठी लिखकर प्रधानमंत्री को बता दिया कि संसद में लोकपाल नहीं आया तो 27 दिसबंर से अनशन होकर रहेगा.

From corruption to tribal rights: 2011 appears to be the year of social activism in India

NEW DELHI: With Anna Hazare stealing much of the media limelight, social activists this year mounted a determined offensive over issues ranging from corruption and black money to tribal rights. 

While social activism has for long been an important part of the world's largest democracy, the trend got a boost from the anti-corruption movement of Hazare, who became the face of India's war on corruption. 

A former army driver, Hazare fasted in Delhi thrice this year, forcing the government to take steps to unveil an independent body with powers to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials. 

The 74-year-old from Maharashtra caught the imagination of millions. Thousands took to the streets in support, waving the tricolour and the now famous 'I am Anna' caps and T-shirts. 

Shadab Fayaz, a Delhi University student who has been participating in anti-graft protests in the capital, sees "a change India is witnessing for the founding of a better and more democratic India". 

"It has become easier for leaders like Hazare to seek support for any cause through social networking sites, internet forums and SMSes. We have seen a rise in the awareness among students," he said. "They are becoming participatory rather than silent spectators." 

Hazare apart, there were other movements in small towns and cities that marked the dawn of a new revolution in India. 

In July, social worker Nileema Mishra, who works in the field of micro-credit, was named one of the two winners of the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the other being Harish Hande, founder of a solar power company that seeks to bring electricity to rural areas. 

The 39-year-old Mishra got major recognition for her work among poor villagers that led to 1,800 women's self-help groups in Jalgaon and other parts of Maharashtra. 

On June 4, yoga guru Baba Ramdev, taking a leaf out of Hazare's book, commenced an indefinite hunger strike in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to protest against corruption and black money. 

Thousands of his followers trooped to the site. But in less than 24 hours, a police crackdown ended the demonstration before it gained greater momentum. Ramdev later went low profile but continues to speak against graft and the government. 

In Himachal Pradesh, Rattan Manjari, 59, took on patriarchal laws that bar tribal women from inheriting property in the hill state. 

She and her supporters daily visit a village in tribal areas to create awareness about her movement that has seen thousands rallying behind her for amendments to the customary laws. 

Down south, a 75-year-old activist in Tamil Nadu successfully led a legal battle that saw several commercial establishments in Chennai's busy T. Nagar area sealed by authorities for violating building norms. 

The activist, popularly known Traffic Ramaswamy, is a former mill worker and a self-appointed traffic policeman -- as much of his activism relates to regulating traffic in Chennai. 

Congress appeals for patience on Lokpal Bill

As Anna Hazare threatened to go ahead with his proposed fast, Congress on Saturday counselled patience on Lokpal Bill, saying the government would get the "very important" legislation passed in Parliament as "early as possible".
"Anna should have confidence in government. I feel this

matter is unnecessary," Congress spokesman Rashid Alvi said in the wake of the social activist writing a fresh letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
In the letter, Hazare said doubts have arisen over whether the Lokpal Bill will be passed by December 23 when Parliament session gets over and threatened to go ahead with his proposed fast and 'jail bharo' agitation.
Alvi said the government is trying its best to build a broad consensus on the measure not only within the UPA but also among all other parties.
Criticising the BJP which has supported Anna's deadline, Alvi said, "Hopefully this bill will be brought in the current session, but nobody should be in a hurry. It is a very important bill, One should have patience. Government will get it passed as early as possible."
In his letter, Hazare said in the last one year, the government has given a lot of assurances on Lokpal Bill but every time they have "betrayed" the countrymen.
"Despite your promises, if a strong, independent and effective bill is not passed in the session, I will be forced to sit on a fast from December 27. 'Jail bharo' agitation will start from December 30," Hazare wrote.

Anna to watch Lokpal proceedings from viewers' gallery in Parliament Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/anna-to-watch-lokpal-proceedings-from-viewers-gallery-in-parliament-158675&cp

New Delhi\Bangalore: Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare will be present in the viewers' gallery of the Parliament when the Lokpal Bill would be tabled and discussed.

"Anna will be present in the visitors' gallery when government tables the Lokpal Bill in Parliament," Mr Hazare's close aide Suresh Pathare said. His close associates, also popularly known as Team Anna, will also accompany him to Parliament House complex on the day the bill is tabled.

The Centre is planning to introduce the bill next week, before the ongoing session ends on December 22. Mr Hazare has warned of a fresh fast from December 27 if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed. He is particularly upset after some of his key demands were not incorporated in a draft prepared by the Parliament's Standing Committee, which was tasked to study the bill that would enable the formation of the Lokpal, an ombudsman that would look into cases of corruption among public servants.

The 74-year-old Gandhian has also written yet another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, accusing the government of betrayal in bringing a tough Lokpal Bill. (Read)

The government, meanwhile, has gone on an overdrive to ensure a smooth passage of the bill when it is introduced in Parliament. Towards that end, the Prime Minister convened an all-party meeting on Wednesday where he assured all of the government's commitment to bringing a strong and effective Lokpal in the current session of Parliament. (Read) The meeting came on the back of a broad consensus among political parties over bringing the PM and lakhs of junior bureaucrats under the ambit of the Lokpal. These proposals, among a few, are crucial to the formation of the Lokpal, Anna and his associates have said. But the government is still holding back on committing to putting the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Lokpal's jurisdiction. It will most likely suggest that the CBI's investigative autonomy be preserved. So the agency will report to the Lokpal only on the cases assigned to it by the ombudsman. (Read: At all-party meet on Lokpal, no consensus on inclusion of CBI) But this is not acceptable to Mr Hazare who has alleged that the Centre is not willing to let go of control over the premier investigating agency. This is something that found mention in his letter to the PM today where he said that the "Lokpal is toothless without the CBI."

Hazare writes to PM again

New Delhi: In a yet another warning to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, social activist Anna Hazare in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday has re-iterated his decision to go on an indefinite fast beginning 27 December. Hazare has demanded that the Lokpal Bill gets passed in the winter session of the Parliament. The current session is scheduled to end on Thursday.

Social activist Anna Hazare. Photo: AP

“If according to your promise, a strong, independent and effective Lokpal Bill does not get passed in the winter session of the Parliament, I will be compelled to go on an idnefinite fast from 27 December,” Hazare wrote in the letter to Singh. “However, I have full faith that you will fulfill your promises and not disappoint the nation this time.”
In the letter, Hazare has enlisted a seven points on which the government has “cheated the people of the country” in the past one year. It includes the government favouring its own versio of the Lokpal Bill following a the deliberations of a joint drafting committee, presenting a “weak” Bill in the monsoon session of the Parliament and about Hazare’s arrest during his agitation in August.
“There are a lot of shortcomings in the report prepared in the standing committee (on Lokpal),” Hazare wrote. A standing committee report tabled in the Parliament on 9 December rejected most of Hazare’s recommendation including bringing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and government’s Group C employees under the Lokpal.
The veteran activist, along with an indefinite fast, has called for a “jail-bharo” (fill the jails) agitation. Earlier in this year, the anti-graft activist from Maharashtra, has gone on two “indefinite” fasts in the month of April and August in New Delhi. However, the venue for his December fast could be Mumbai instead of New Delhi if the “climate was not good”, Hazare had told reporters on Thursday.
Suresh Pathare, Hazare’s close associate, on Saturday wrote on the social networking site, Twitter, that Hazare would be present in the visitor’s gallery of the Parliament when the government will table the Lokpal Bill.