New Delhi: NDA Working President LK Advani on Monday faced Anna Hazare supporters picketing his house as he replied to their tough questions on the opposition stand on the Jan Lokpal Bill, and inclusion of Prime Minister and higher judiciary within the ambit of the ombudsman.
"We are not happy with the present Lokpal Bill of the government. It is very feeble and very weak. It does not include the Prime Minister in the ambit of the Lokpal. Also the process of appointing the Lokpal is such that he would become an official nominee," Advani told young Anna supporters picketing outside his residence.
A crowd of about 100 Anna supporters had gathered outside his residence here around 9 pm. They shouted slogans like "Government-opposition are one on Lokpal Bill" and "death to corruption".
Advani faced the crowd, which offered him roses when he emerged from his residence, and patiently answered their questions in a 30-minute interaction.
"We are very sad with the spate of corruption cases that have been exposed. The three scandals of Games (Commonwealth Games), spectrum (2G allocation) and Adarsh Housing Society have come to light... The Lokpal Bill will be discussed in Parliament. We do not agree with the government Bill and we have said this publicly before," Advani said.
He praised Anna Hazare, saying he was doing a great job by raising this issue.
Advani expressed confidence that a way would be found out to end the impasse but warned that the parliamentary process of passing a Bill cannot be 'short-circuited'.
Advani said he was not happy with the present provisions in the Lokpal Bill on the judiciary.
Asked about the inclusion of lower judiciary within the ambit of Lokpal as envisaged in the Jan Lokpal Bill, Advani said his party is ready to think on the issue.
"We have only said that we want a strong and effective Lokpal. There is a process through which a Bill is passed. It is presented in Parliament and then it goes to the Standing Committee where representatives of political parties discuss it," Advani said, adding that his wish was that the whole House should ultimately pass the Bill in one voice.
He maintained that if officials at the top are upright and people of integrity then those below follow them and keep away from corruption.
In reply to a question on the Lokpal Bill not seeing the light of day for the past 32 years as successive Bills got mired in Standing Committees, Advani expressed his disagreement.
"Not all Lokpal Bills have gone to the Standing Committees, though one or two have," he said, emphasising on the importance of following the Parliamentary process.
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