(a) whether attention of the Government has been drawn to the news-item captioned `Supreme Court ki Karyawahi Par Pani Pherne mein Juti Kendra Sarkar` appearing in `Jansatta` dated 21.6.2002; and
(b) if so, the details and reaction of the Government thereto?
MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE (SHRI K. JANA KRISHNAMURTHI)
(a) and (b) Yes, Sir. The newspaper is entitled to express its own views. The Government had discussed the matter with the political parties on 8.7.2002. There was unanimous view in the said meeting that only Parliament had the power to legislate on this matter. The meeting also felt that there was need to curb criminalisation in politics by enacting suitable legislation in consultation with the political parties. A draft of the Bill has been circulated to the political parties to ascertain their views.