Lokpal bill: Inclusion of PM will bring instability, says Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee

NEW DELHI: Bringing Prime Minister under the Lokpal would result in "institutionalised permanent instability" at the Centre, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today.

Two days after the Union Cabinet approved the Lokpal bill that keeps out PM from its ambit much to the anger of the civil society, Mukherjee, who chaired the joint drafting committee with Anna Hazare's team, strongly defended the decision.

"In this time of frenzy, anybody can write to the Lokpal and make a complaint. If the Lokpal prima facie sees merit in it...the Prime Minister will have to resign.

"Prime Minister is the keystone in our system and if he goes, then the entire government goes. This way you will institutionalise permanent instability," he told PTI.

He recalled that BJP had wanted a fixed tenure for the Lok Sabha without mid-term dissolution in the wake of three general elections in three years between 1996 and 1999.

On Hazare's threat to go on indefinite fast from August 16 in protest against keeping out PM, judiciary and MPs conduct in Parliament from the bill, Mukherjee said if the Gandhian felt that the civil society bill was the best then he should convince political parties supporting him to get it passed in Parliament even without discussion.