Click to play videoNew Delhi: Vice President Hamid Ansari, the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha is in the line of fire after the Lokpal fiasco on Thursday. The BJP indicated that it was unhappy with the way Ansari had conducted himself during the last few minutes of the session on Thursday when the Lokpal Bill was being discussed but restrained itself due to respect for the high office.
However, sources now clarify that Ansari had no role to play in extension of debate beyond midnight. It was the UPA government's prerogative to do so.
Vice President Ansari, who is ex-officio chairperson of the Upper House, had adjourned the Rajya Sabha stating there was total impasse and the House cannot be run in this noise.
But now a clarification from Ansari has put the government in a tough spot. It raises doubts over government's intentions on the Bill.
In defence of Ansari, the Vice President's office in a statement said, "The action taken by Rajya Sabha chairman was to avoid a constitutional crisis. The decision to convene a new session and adjourn a session sine die is taken by the President on the aid and advice of the council of ministers. Since the government was unwilling to extend the session beyond midnight, at which time the winter session was coming to an end, the Rajya Sabha chairman was left with little choice but to adjourn the session sine die."
All this raises doubts over government's sincerity.
Vice President's clarification makes it clear that it's the government which could take the final call on extending the Rajya Sabha session. However the government was scared to pass a Bill with new amendments.
It has become apparent now that the government is reluctant to accept most of the amendments which means that the Lokpal Bill may not become a reality soon. The government however is banking on the hope that most politicians do not want a Lokpal Bill.
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