The irreconcilable differences between government representatives and civil society members of the Joint Drafting Committee on the Lokpal bill betray the government's reluctance to pass an effective law against corruption. Civil society members should put their version in the public domain, highlighting the points that the government representatives rejected.
Satish C. Aikant,
Mussoorie
The differences have made the very existence of the joint committee irrelevant. The government is trying to implement its agenda by sidelining civil society, for which it has utter contempt.
P. Ramesan,
Kollam
Anna Hazare should expose the government's moves that has led to the impasse. He should appeal to people to help him continue his fight against corruption by peaceful means. Creating awareness in the aam aadmi would appear to be a better option.
T.K. Nagarajan,
Bangalore
It appears that the government is not serious about passing a Lokpal bill. Its proposal to create a Lokpal without any investigative or administrative machinery is unacceptable.
Vathsala Jayaraman,
Chennai
If the Lokpal bill is held up for want of consensus on a few critical points, we can think of seeking people's vote on them. Another fast, as indicated by Mr. Hazare, is not a solution because we need leaders like him. He can mobilise public opinion and make the Lokpal bill an issue in the next election.
N. Ramani,
Chennai
That the members of the joint drafting committee have been unable to evolve a consensus on fundamental issues is distressing. If the government regards the demands of civil society infeasible because they emanate from the unelected and unelectable, it is sending a dangerous signal. Anything — a strike for better wages or clamour for effective investigation into a heinous crime — can be brushed aside as tyranny of the unelected. It will signal the end of democracy.
It looks like we are in for a severely diluted version of the Lokpal bill, which will relegate the major issues to the background and exempt the Prime Minister, the President and the judiciary from the Lokpal's purview.
R. Ramachandra Rao,
Hyderabad
It is distressing to see the way things have turned out with respect to the Lokpal bill. While issues of corruption and black money are serious, it is an open secret that they do not pertain to any particular political party. The main culprits in most scams are corporates who want to get things done their way. I do not know if the Anna Hazare team has any remedy for this. People like me are at a loss to understand why the discussion on the issue is not broad-based. Certainly, the representatives of neither civil society nor the government are equal to the task. It is an issue that must be debated at a wider level. Both sides seem intolerant of each other's perspectives. There is a lot of trust deficit between them. It is time representatives of a cross section of mass based people's organisations joined the debate and took the issue to its logical conclusion.
Gnana. Surabhi Mani,
Madurai
That a consensus has evaded the joint committee is hardly surprising. The government of the day, mired in one scam after another, was only expected to resist public scrutiny.
Venkatesh N. Muttur,
Hubli
Our political leaders, who say passing laws is the sole prerogative of elected members, should realise that people elect them to work for the country, not their selfish motives. The impasse in the drafting committee is due to the government's stubborn stance. It would be better to have a referendum on the issue.
Raj Behl,
Newcastle upon Tyne
