Centre ready to pass Lokpal Bill by consensus: Salman Khurshid

Farukhabad: Union Law minister Salman Khurshid has said that the Centre was ready to pass the Lokpal Bill by consensus and was making all efforts in this regard. "The Lokpal Bill cannot be passed through agitations... We are ready to pass the Bill by consensus and all efforts are being made in this regard...Anna Hazare is ignoring the fact that UPA did not have a majority in Rajya Sabha", Khurshid said talking to reporters here last evening after attending an 'Iftar' function.

Claiming that allegations of Team Anna that the government was not serious on the Lokpal issue was not true, Khurshid said the government took it seriously and got the Bill passed in Lok Sabha.

About his secret meeting with Hazare, Khurshid said that in that meeting Hazare was informed about attempts made by the government on the Lokpal issue.

Salman Khurshid said that the Centre was ready to pass the Lokpal Bill by consensus and was making all efforts in this regard.

"It was his (Anna's) proposal not to make public the agenda of their meeting and we accepted it. I had advised him to avoid agitation on the issue", he said.

Khurshid also praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for getting the new statue of Mayawati installed in time after it was vandalised.

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