The lokpal bill report tabled by a select committee of the Rajya Sabha is a diluted bill, the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI), a civil society organisation, has alleged while raised objection to certain points not included in the bill.

Besides the issue of dilution of this bill, other pending legislation will also come up for discussion and debate when more than 50 civil society groups sit down for a five-day ‘jan sansad’ (people’s assembly) at Jantar Mantar from Monday.

The idea, say NCPRI members, is to articulate issues of the poor and marginalised sections of society.

“Recommendations like delinking of the creation of lokayuktas in states from the central bill will dilute the lokpal bill that people are demanding,” NCPRI member Anjali Bhardwaj said on Friday at a media conference in New Delhi to announce details of the ‘jan sansad’.

Nikhal Dey, one of the campaign committee members of NCPRI, said a drastic improvement in the bill is the need of the hour. “We will fight bitterly for inclusion of state lokayuktas in the lokpal bill,” Dey said. “Besides, why has the prime minister been exempted from the ambit of lokpal on issues of external and internal security, atomic energy, international relations and public order?”

Civil society groups are also criticising the government for delaying several bills that articulate the broader vision of those fighting for social and economic equity, including governance and anti-corruption legislation — such as lokpal, grievance redress, and anti-corruption bills. 

“None of these legislations can afford to ignore the people’s point of view, or dilute the scope of rights of the poor and marginalised communities in the name of better targeting or more efficient delivery,” said Madhuresh Kumar of the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM).

Others like land acquisition bill, food security, seeds and biotechnology bill, whistleblower protection bill and grievance redress bill have been pending in Parliament for several years, Aruna Roy of MKSS pointed out. “This is the very least that Parliament can do, as their (MPs’) credibility hinges on it,” Roy said.

It is a countdown to 2014, civil society group members said. They also plan to launch the people’s manifesto on December 1 this year.