New Delhi: Inclusion of Prime Minister or Chief Justice of India in the ambit of Lokpal "hardly matters" in the fight against corruption, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday.
"It is not a big question whether Prime Minister or Chief Justice is included, it hardly matters. Do you think that inclusion of one person will strengthen the fight against corruption?" she asked.
However, she also said that in case the Prime Minister was included in the ambit of Lokpal, "I have no problem. I am with the UPA."
To a question, she denied that she had blamed civil society groups for enacting "drama" on the issue of corruption.
In an apparent dig at civil society, she had yesterday said, "Our party is against corruption. But we are also against creating drama."
To another question, Banerjee said "if anyone says all politicians are corrupt, then let them join politics."
Pressing for a comprehensive package to check the menace of corruption at all levels, Trinamool Congress chief demanded that the moneys illegally stashed abroad should be brought back.
She also suggested that electoral reform measures be carried out by the Election Commission and said state funding of polls would go a long way to curb the use of black money in the electoral process.
Suggesting a "comprehensive collective package" to fight all lacunaes in the system, she also wanted strengthening of the vigilance machinery to check corruption at all levels.
She refused to take a question on Baba Ramdev saying "Ask me questions relating to Bengal and not on Delhi." When her comments were sought on the midnight swoop on Baba Ramdev and his followers, Banerjee said "I was not in Delhi." She also added that Anna Hazare was given a lot of respect by the UPA government.
On her party's views on the issue of corruption, she said "when the all-party meeting takes place, we will discuss and we will give our opinion."
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