Anna Hazare strongly opposes parliamentary panel's 'weak' Lokpal Bill draft

Ralegan Siddhi, Dec 9: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare today strongly lashed out at the Central government and Parliamentary Standing Committee for 'betraying' the people by drafting a 'weak' Lokpal Bill.

Addressing mediapersons here, Hazare said: "The issues and provisions that appear in the draft released by the Standing Committee are same as those in the government version of the Lokpal Bill.

  "The Standing Committee's draft mirrors what has already been said by the government. This proves that the Standing Committee has betrayed and misled the people. The Standing Committee's draft will not in any way help eliminate corruption from this country," he added.

Hazare further questioned the need to bring out a 'weak' draft.

"The government had always promised to frame a strong anti-corruption legislation, but it has come up with this weak draft. Who is the brain behind this tactic? The Prime Minister had sent me a letter assuring me on the three main conditions laid down by us," he said.

"A resolution was also passed in the Parliament. This resolution was also forwarded to the standing committee by Pranab Mukherjee himself. Now, the Standing Committee says we never received that document. Is it a government or a trader's shop?" he added.

He also said that the government must frame a legislation that envisages a corruption free India.

"There is no use in bringing out a weak draft just for show off. Neither would it help national interest nor would it help eliminate corruption. Till the time corruption remains prevalent, the country cannot progress. Can't the government see that out of a rupee, not even ten paisa is reaching the rural areas? How will this country progress? Due to graft, even ten paisa cannot reach the villages out of a rupee, money from development funds is siphoned off, poor people are suffering and inflation is at its peak. Is the government not aware of this?" he said.

Hazare had earlier said that he would stage a one-day strike in New Delhi on December 11, if the tabled anti-graft bill reflected a weak institution of Lokpal.

The Bill is seen as a weapon to root out corruption and nepotism from the government machinery and in public life.

The proposed Bill envisages the setting up of a national anti-corruption watchdog to check financial mismanagement and corrupt practices that have deeply pervaded several democratic and civic institutions of India.