The government is not engaged in any 'back door' dialogue with yoga guru Ramdev, who went on an indefinite fast on the issue of repatriation of black money, Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Saturday.
"There is no back door and open door talks with any one. Whether it is Ramdev or anyone," he told reporters.
However, Moily evaded reply when asked whether the government has sought the help of Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravishankar for negotiations with the yoga guru to end his eight-day old agitation.
Moily said that since he would be visiting Haridwar to perform a certain pooja for his father who passed away recently, he would ask Ramdev why he "reneged" on his promise to call off the fast despite the government accepting all his demands.
On being asked for a clear response on whether Ravishankar was the government emissary, Moily remarked "I don't want to get into any kind of controversy. I have no comments on such things."
Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for its attack on the United Progressive Alliance government over corruption and black money, Moily accused the party leaders of trying to become "heroes" in the eyes of the public after "doing nothing" during the National Democratic Alliance regime.
"The NDA government slept for seven to eight years and no action was taken to retrieve black money. Now they are trying to become heroes," he charged.
Moily claimed the government had so far retrieved nearly Rs 35,000-Rs 40,000 crore black money stashed away in foreign banks, entered into agreements with 63 nations to introduce double taxation clause and ratified the United Nations resolution on curbing corruption.
He asserted that it was the UPA government that took steps to enact "a strong" Lok Pal Bill before Anna Hazare entered the scene, and ratified the UN resolution to end corruption.
Moily said the government had drafted the Lokpal Bill and but for the intervention of Hazare, it would have been introduced in Parliament in the last session.
He suggested to the Lokpal Bill committee members, including Hazare, to discuss all issues pertaining to the bill within the committee and not outside.
Moily said the Lokpal Bill would be drafted by June 30, and will be brought before the Cabinet and later introduced in Parliament.
However, he said, "It is a legislative measure and not a Constitutional amendment."
"It is left to the Parliament to take a decision on it," he said, apparently referring to the August 15 deadline set by Hazare for enactment of the act.
The law minister said many of the states have responded to the Centre's query on the Lokpal Bill.
On whether BJP ruled states had sent in their replies, he said, "The BJP is not interested in it. They are interested in a street fight".
Moily apparently opposed the inclusion of the Prime Minister's Office under the purview of the bill.
"This is an era of the RTI. If someone files a complaint before the Lokpal against the prime minister, any person with a sensitive nature cannot continue (in the post). This is a matter the country should resolve," he said.
