The UPA Government is in a damage control mode and has deferred the Monsoon Session of Parliament by a fortnight. The Government has decided to convene the session from August 1 to September 8.
The Government feels that it needs more time to be better prepared to take on the Opposition because it is bound to be a stormy session following the revelation of several corruption cases.
Facing flak from the civil society on corruption and black money, the Government needs time to strategise to save face after a series of fiasco on Lokpal Bill and Baba Ramdev fast.
The main Opposition party, BJP, has already come out in support of Anna Hazare and Ramdev on corruption issues.
One of the important assignment before the Government is tabling of the Lokpal Bill, and for that it needs to call an all-party meeting in the first week of July.
CNN-IBN has accessed the Government’s draft on the Lokpal Bill that takes a middle path on bringing the Prime Minister under the Lokpal’s ambit.
According to the Government’s final draft the Prime Minister can be included but with some safeguards. The draft says that complaints against the Prime Minister can be entertained but will be investigated only after the Prime Minister leaves office.
Two others bills like Judicial Accountability Bill and Disclosure of Assets Bill are also to be finalised.
Adding to the delay is the proposed Cabinet reshuffle next month.
The Congress has also asked its leaders not to attend Baba Ramdev’s yoga sessions as the party feels its image has been hit by the midnight police crackdown episode.
