Govt intention on Lokpal unclear,unfair: Anna

Questioning the government for not listening to the voice of the people,Hazare said their views on various issues,including allowing 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail,should be heard by the nation’s parliamentarians.

On Monday,Hazare had threatened to go on a fast again in case the government failed to pass an effective Lokpal Bill during the winter session of Parliament.

“The Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi have assured me and demanded time till winter session and that is why we have given them the time. If this Bill does not get approval this winter session,our hunger strike that was called off,would recommence,” Hazare told the media in Ralegan Siddhi.

“After all it is essential to remove corruption from the country and we are not demanding it for ourselves. We are not asking for anything else from you,” he added.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Law and Justice examining the various provisions of the Lokpal Bill is meeting here Wednesday evening after almost three months of deliberations.

According to reports,a draft of the broad recommendations of the standing committee has been circulated among the members.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi,who is the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee,is expected to finalise the draft during the meeting.

Asserting that the government headed by her had been taking suitable steps to overpower the “plague” of corruption,Congress President Sonia Gandhi had earlier on Tuesday urged Opposition parties to help in the passage of an effective Lokpal Bill by allowing Parliament to function without any disruption.

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

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

The 74-year-old social activist had staged an indefinite hunger strike against graft that he gave up on the 13th day on August 28 when the government agreed to deliberate the issues raised by him and his forum vis-a-vis the passage and enactment of the Lokpal Bill,a suggestion that has received unprecedented nationwide backing.

Emphasising that FDI in retail sector was not good for the people,Hazare said opposition to the decision should be heard. “Parliament has not run for seven days. I don’t think it will function on the issue,” he said.

Asked whether he felt the government deliberately brought FDI to scuttle the Lokpal issue,he answered in the negative and said there should be a debate and people should know the pros and cons of the issue.

On the repeated disruptions caused in Parliament,he said,“We have accepted democracy and elected our representatives. If they have problems in understanding,whom should we blame?”

With regard to protests against him by NCP activists,Hazare dismissed them as nothing new.

When referred to comments of Swami Agnivesh,who was once his close associate,that he would not join Hazare’s agitation,the social activist said he had not invited anyone either. “Whoever wants to save the country is free join the movement,” he said.

Hazare said the draft report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee was a “betrayal” of the countrymen. He also said he would tour the five poll-bound states and tell the electorate how the government has betrayed them on the Lokpal Bill.

“The government has assured us a strong Lokpal Bill. We were given an assurance by the Parliament. Now the Standing Committee report is out. When I saw the report,I realised they have again betrayed the countrymen. The government has committed deceit,” he said.