We are open to all views'': Par panel chief on Lokpal-Aug 20,2011

''We are open to all views'': Par panel chief on Lokpal

PTI | 05:08 PM,Aug 20,2011

Singhvi, who is also the spokesperson of the ruling Congress, made the remarks on a day when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh affirmed that there was a "lot of scope for give and take" on the Lokpal Bill and the government was open to "discussion and dialogue" on the issue. After the last night meeting of Congress Core Group chaired by the Prime Minister, indications were available that the government was not averse to re-negotiating with Team Anna.Singhvi said "the object of the large number of people (agitating against corruption) is same as that of Congress party to fight corruption" but held that there was a "slight difference" in the methodology of reaching the destination.He found an "internal contradiction" between the sovereignty of Parliament and external or internal deadlines"."If the country's Parliament is sovereign, there is an obvious contradiction between deadlines and this sovereignty," he said. Refusing to comment on team Anna's criticism of the Standing Committee, Singhvi said, "we are only doing something that is not done yesterday. We are following a tradition that is 300 to 400 years old, where members irrespective of their differences try to discuss logically and decide by agreement and consensus." He added, "we are carrying out our work on Lokpal Bill seriously. As per procedure laid, we have to first invite the views, hold meeting with stakeholders, and after hearing evidence and doing a clause by clause analysis, present a detailed report alongwith recommendations to the Parliament." Singhvi refused to comment on earlier controversies over Congress seeing RSS or USA hand behind the agitation saying he was not interested in "digging old graves" PTI AMR SKC