Against the backdrop of indefinitefast by Anna Hazare coming to an end, Law Minister SalmanKhurshid has said the government is "much better equipped" nowto deal with such situations even as he underlined that theLokpal will be created before the 2014 elections.
He also indicated that had the contents of a letter sentby the Prime Minister's Office to Hazare not come to thenotice of Team Anna members, something could have come of hisJune 23 "private meeting" with the activist.
"It's not for me to give an assessment because my PrimeMinister must do so. But if you are asking me about my ownassessment, my own feelings, I think yes, absolutely. In fact,to say it will be long before the Parliament elections of2014. But I can't give you a date. I can't give a deadline,"Khurshid told Karan Thapar in 'Devil's Advocate' programme onCNN-IBN.
The Law Minister was responding to a query on whether hecould assure that Lokpal will be created by Parliament beforethe 2014 polls.
Asked whether the government was 'wiser' by itsexperience, Khurshid said "we are much better equippedtoday...we learn everyday from everything we do and I thinklearning is a good thing...."
Referring to his "private meeting" with Hazare held nearPune that was arranged by mutual friends, he said the activistwanted three things: inclusion of Group A, B, C, D officialsunder Lokpal, creation of Lokayukta in the states and aCitizen's charter.
He said when he explained that government has alreadydone that, Hazare wanted the government to put it on record ina letter.