Government accepts legitimate role of civil society, says Salman Khurshid

NEW DELHI: As Anna Hazare has threatened yet another agitation, Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid said government accepts the legitimate role of civil society, but there should be clear cut rules of disagreement and engagement in dealing with each other.

"As far as we (government) are concerned, we have no hesitation and no reservation in accepting that there is an exceptionally legitimate role for civil society in a democracy. It may be discomforting for us time to time...they may be questioning our motives ...it makes democracy more stronger and increases its outreach," he said.

But at the same time, Khurshid maintained that there is disagreement on every issue in the country as it is part of democracy.

"Dissent is essential to good democracy. But in every democracy, there are rules for resolving disagreement and the rule for taking into account and factoring in dissent and providing for dissent and then turning dissent into a synthesis," he said at the India Today conclave here.

Threatening to launch a "big protest" for a strong Lokpal bill, Anna Hazare had yesterday said the government will have to go if it does not bring a strong anti-corruption law.