Centre keen to get Lokpal in monsoon session: Ashwani Kumar

In the backdrop of the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare setting the August 15 deadline for the passage of Lokpal Bill, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ashwani Kumar on Thursday said that the Central government will bring the bill in the monsoon session of Parliament.

"We are certainly determined to bring the Lokpal Bill in monsoon session of Parliament...If only the civil society activists don''t make our task difficult," Kumar told reporters.

He, however declined to comment when asked if the Prime Minister will be brought under the purview of the Lokpal as demanded by the civil society members.

Anna Hazare, who is one of the members of the Joint Drafting Committee (JDC) on the Lokpal Bill, had yesterday threatened the Centre of another indefinite fast if it did not bring a legislation on the Lokpal by August 15.

Kumar said that there was an attempt to indulge into politics by some people in the name of fight against corruption, which he said was deplorable.

"Corruption is not an individual''s agenda. It is a national issue and it needs to be addressed and fought.

"But we now see in the flair of Ramdev and even Anna Hazare...Crass politicisation of an issue that is a part of the national conscious. The challenge is to move forward and take concrete steps so that we can restore our institutions and ensure that there is no corruption at any level," Kumar added.

Reacting to a query on four Union ministers initially reaching out to Baba Ramdev to avert his fast, Kumar said the government wanted to avoid the possibility of a "tamasha"(drama) that had happened earlier at the Jantar Mantar and that is why the government sought to reach out to Baba Ramdev for a constructive solution. .