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Team Anna?s Arvind Kejriwal has extended an olive branch to the Government over the Lokpal Bill. While speaking in a NewsX debate titled "Burn the Bill?", Kejriwal said he and his colleagues would not insist that the Prime Minister come under the ambit of the controversial Bill.
"WE?LL NOT INSIST ON PM?S INCLUSION IN LOKPAL BILL", Kejriwal said in response to a question from the debate‘s moderator, NewsX‘s Jehangir S. Pocha.
Kejriwal went on to say that it was more important that the Lokpal Bill covered all central government employees, not just "Class A" ones, who represent just .05 per cent of the central government‘s workforce.
Swami Agnivesh, another leading crusader fighting against the Government‘s Lokpal Bill, said during the debate that it was also crucial that empowered Lokayukta‘s are created in all states.
Both Kejriwal and Agnivesh said it was only if these two conditions were met that the Lokpal Bill would be able to address corruption and serve the common man.
Kejriwal said, "If the Bill presented by the Government in the Lok Sabha addresses the aam aadmi?s corruption related problems but does not include the PM, we will not sit on fast. We will wait for Parliamentary proceedings to take place. Most important are the Lokayuktas. Day to day corruption should get included in the citizens? charter. These are some of the provisions that are most critical to us."
The statements from Kejriwal and Agnivesh indicates a marked change in the stand that Anna Hazare?s team has taken so far. But Kejriwal said that until the Government indicates a readiness to meet the demand for a Lokpal empowered to tackle the common man?s corruption issues, Team Anna will not back down. The August 16 fast will remain on schedule.
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