Attempt to take over legislature's duties: Pranab

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, chief negotiator in talks with Team Anna, on Thursday said the government's stress on respecting the constitutional process and Parliament's sovereignty has been twisted to make it appear that it is against the anti-corruption bill.

Mukherjee said attempts were being made to take over the legislature's business and when the government stressed on respecting the constitutional process and the sovereignty of Parliament, an impression was sought to be given that the government was opposing the measure.

Briefing MPs on the Lokpal issue at a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, Mukherjee told them that while the fundamental rights of a person to demonstrate was important, the government was also duty bound to save a human life.

Voicing concern over the bad press the government was getting on the Lokpal issue, Congress members of Parliament wanted it to be proactive in apprising people about the truth of the matter.

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi as well as senior ministers were present at the meeting. Though Gandhi himself did not speak, several members, mostly young leaders, briefly apprised Mukherjee of their concerns and their expectations from the government.

While expressing strong support for respect of the parliamentary procedure and the constitutional process, the MPs urged the government to counter allegations by the civil society through interventions in both Houses of Parliament.

They also voiced concern over Hazare's calls to picket their homes and wanted the government to handle the issue politically.