Govt-civil society on collision course?

The Lokpal Bill drafting committee on Monday appeared headed for a collision course with the government opposing demands to bring the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and MPs' corrupt acts inside Parliament under its purview, provoking a civil society threat to take to the streets again.

"Today''s meeting was quite disastrous," a two-page statement issued by the civil society movement after today''s meeting said giving details of the demands made and government's rejection of them.

The statement said, "definitely, government's intentions are suspect. Please prepare yourself for the next huge movement in the country. We will go to government meetings in the next few meetings.

"We will try our best to persuade the government to a strong and effective Lokpal Bill. But if the government disagrees, we should be ready to taking to streets," it said.

The strong statement came after the activists led by Anna Hazare, who are members of the Joint Drafting Committee on the Bill, accused the government of being "hostile" and showing "immensely negative attitude" to their suggestions because of which today''s meeting ended in a "compete disaster". .