In Lokpal tapes its all business, no fireworks

Did the members of Team Anna Hazare and the representatives of the government in the Lokpal Bill Joint Drafting Committee go at each others ’throats during their meetings? The first few audio tapes of the meetings, which have been released by the department of personnel and training, do not suggest so. Things heat up towards the end but it looks no match to what the country witnessed on television cameras in the month of May.

Members of Team Anna, particularly Shanti Bhushan, were quite forceful and articulate while presenting their arguments supporting the clauses in the Jan Lokpal Bill while the representatives of the government were equally well prepared with their responses. The areas of convergence and divergence come out clearly in the meeting as also the points of conflict. But not too much animosity which both groups held for each other and displayed outside. The bitterness was restrained on both sides.

But given the general heated climate over the bill in that period, it is possible the tapes are not telling the whole truth. There is suspicion in some circles that government could have been selective in releasing the tapes and edited parts of it. The government, however, claims there’s no tinkering with the original. Kiran Bedi, a key member of Team Anna, told CNN-IBN that the audio tapes must be “total rather than selective”’.

Pranab Mukherjee, chairman of the drafting committee, makes it clear from the beginning that it is ultimately Parliament which is going to pass the Lokpal Bill. Arvind Kejriwal argues for the institutions of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta at the states under the same act while Mukherjee insists that the opinion of states is a must since many of them already have the Lokayukta under state acts.

The nine tapes covering the nine meetings between both sides reveal how both sides remain steadfast on their stands on many contentious issues. The government’s side argues that Lokpal, the way it has been proposed by Team Anna, would mean a parallel government with accountability. It suggests making it a quasi-judicial body.

Salman Khurshid, now Law Minister, asks Team Anna whether Lokpal should have the powers to prosecute and whether the sanction for prosecution will be given by the Lokpal Bench or investigating officers. Santosh Hegde, former Karnataka Lok Ayukta, says in cases of persons like elected representatives, prime minister, judiciary and other such positions, Lokpal full bench will decide but investigation will be conducted by officers of Lokpal only on the lines of provisions of CrPC.

Kapil Sibal, in one of the tapes, says the bureaucracy cannot function with the Lokpal sword dangling over their heads. “You have to protect the bureaucracy in some way,” he argues.

In one of the tapes, Gandhian Anna Hazare says people are bigger than the representatives. They are the ‘maliks’ in the democracy, he adds. Kejriwal, the most volatile member of Team Anna, appears composed in person and cogent in his views.

Listen to the complete audio of tape 3 where the exact points under debate between Team Anna and the Government are spelled out for discussion

There are differences of opinion over bringing the judiciary under the Lokpal and other issues which have been in the public domain for sometime now. Both sides decide to agree to disagree in the end.

With inputs from PTI