In a softening of stand, social activist Anna Hazare on Friday told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel and Law and Justice that it would be acceptable to his team if the government brought in strong legislation on a citizen's charter, grievance redress, whistle blowers' protection and judicial accountability to have a “strong legal system” to tackle corruption.
“We want a comprehensive Lokpal Bill and do not feel there is any need to split it into different legislation. But if the government can bring in strong enabling legislation there is no harm. However, so far what we have seen of the proposed citizen's charter and judicial accountability Bills, they are very weak. The Judicial Accountability Bill as proposed does not touch corruption issue at all and that is not acceptable to us,” Mr. Hazare told journalists after the four hour-long deliberations during which MPs sought clarifications from Team Anna on the amendments sought by them.
The 74-year-old activist who broke his 19-day-old “vow of silence” at the Gandhi Samadhi here, said, there was some “resolution of issues” at the meeting today — not full resolution but to some extent.” He was accompanied by Shanti Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Kiran Bedi and Manish Sisodia.
“We have been assured of a strong Bill on Lokpal and this has raised hope. We believe the chairman and members of the Standing Committee. After all they are not from England or Pakistan. They are from our country. If we come up with a strong Bill, other countries will follow suit. The impact of the Uttarakhand Lokayukta law, for instance, will be felt soon.”
In a conciliatory tone, he said there might have been use of strong words (against politicians) when there were some shortcomings, but there was nothing personal. “We are all working together for society and the country.” This was contrary to his statement earlier in the day about launching an agitation against the Congress-led UPA government if the Bill was not passed in the winter session of Parliament.
Asked about the response of the Committee to the 34 amendments Team Anna sought to the government's Lokpal Bill, Mr. Kejriwal said, it was not told about it.
Several MPs who participated in the deliberations questioned Team Anna on the absence in its Bill of corruption in the corporate sector, media and non-governmental organisations. “Anti-corruption Bill should be all-encompassing,” Lok Jan Shakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan is understood to have said. To this Team Anna said that if the government wanted to expand the definition of corruption, it could do so.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad took exception to Team Anna sharing the deliberations of the panel with the media.
Some of the MPs sought representation to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and others on the Lokpal. A few Congress MPs felt the Prevention of Corruption Act was enough to tackle corruption. It was the implementation of law that was required.
Keywords: Anna Hazare, social activist, Jan Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption movement, maun vrat, vow of silence
Dear Mr. Ramakishore B, what else would you say to a 'small' group of people conducting 'fast unto death' making demands, other than blackmailing? How can you take it for granted that the majority of people in India want Jan Lokpal Bill (or in its present form) to be passed? Corruption is not caused due to lack of regulations. Any egalitarian society should not be driven by coercive forces, I consider fasting as such a method. This doesn't mean that the matter of corruption should be left unquestioned. There may not be any other leader who can pull the crowd to the issue too. Any movement which promotes 'collective thinking' is to be supported, but Anna's movement is not one. It would be preposterous to think that anyone who doesn't support Mr. Anna favours corruption or the present government.
Dear Biju G.M, What prompted you to say that Annaji is blackmailing?
Is it because he openly told that he will campaign against Congress in
the coming elections ? I am sure every citizen has got the right to
campaign against any party during elections. He wanted Congress to
pass the strong Lokpal bill and they seem to be failing in doing so
and hence raised his campaign against the Congress. When Congress
plays politics in Governance why not face it with the same coin.
Annaji wants a strong Lokpal bill then why can't Congress go in that
direction and get Annaji's support in the elections. Why they want to
demoralize Annaji team by hook or crook. It is time that everybody
should raise above politics and give support for a strong Lokpal Bill
so that in future at least we will have less corrupt Govt. Please
support Annaji.
If you sit with 'debates', you can go on for a life time. Something has to be done
after a round of debates. Most people are in support of Lok Pal and Team Anna
are trying to implement it. No point in debating now. If government does not
accept it, there is no other choice but more democratic pressure tatics
Few people saying that Anna blackmailing the govt. Do u know the meaning of blackmail? Anna have only the support of people. If people have no problems with Anna's Action then what's your problem? .. >Anna requested Govt. Govt denied, Anna sat of fast in april then Govt promised but betrayed. Now Again Congress is planning to betray .. How long we will tolerate this? .. It you say its blackmail then let it be! We The True Indians Don't care about blackmail and other actions we just need JLP but hook or by crook. Why don't Govt bring strong lokpal? People says Prevention of Corruption act is enough to handle corruption. One question how many people sent behind bars for lifetime? How much money recovered out of Trillions of USD?
Anna pura apni chandal chokdi ke piche andha khushat hogaya he Bechara raju plurekar ko aeshan fromosh Anna ne or chokdi ne Purr kam karwa ke ,keri ko chushkar gutli ko bbahar kar diy a.kal jutt A Anna khega ki ye meri signature nahi he or raja ne shaziz ki he. RAJU TUM AGE BADHO YE KREZZIWAL.BHEDI.PARESHAN BHUT. KE BA REME GARIB INDIANS KO BATADENA, DIGGY RAJAKI BAT SHAHI HE,PANI ANNA KE NICHE AYA TO ANNA DARGAYA OR SHAZIZ KI BAT KARKE SHACH BATAYA,JUTOO KI BARAT DESH KE LIYE KI YA KAREGE.KHUD KARAPT LOG KIYA RAH DHEKAYEGE?
All sensitive people understand the importance of Jan Lokpal Bill, all
concerted attacks prove the resistance from the corrupt nexus and
strong hold not on media but also on the mind of educated and
respectable, perhaps also privileged minority. Who are threatened to
loose their secure haven. It is call to the people who want to bring
change,change to the system deep rooted in corruption with the arrival
of east Indian company. It is time to rise up above all prejudices
and strive hard to establish accountability of one and all. All are
equal in a democracy.No to privileges and immunity to the corrupt.
I wonder what some of the respectable commentators mean when they say that this is arrogance and blackmail and that we should have deliberations. Deliberations to what end ? Might I ask ? We can have deliberations for another few decades, but then what ? A law has to be passed finally. The sooner, the better. What are we going to educate people about ? That they should not be corrupt. It's not like they don't know that. It's the system of impunity (especially for the higher echelons of the society) which makes this possible. Also, I completely fail to see how this is blackmail or childish or what not. If not this, then what other means of protest are there in a democracy ? Anna's team, as has been said by them in earlier interviews et al., tried everything from petitions to requests to what not. And, if Team Anna can mobilise people successfully for a cause, then what is wrong ? This is how democracy works. Look at any successful democracy - from Europe to US to Australia.
Anna movement has gone beyond the anti-corruption mantra to cheap political tactics pressurising the government with undemocratic methods. Instead, the movement should have concentrated on educating the people about the merits of the JanLokpal bill (if any), and let them decide.
This is height of arrogance, nothing less than the blackmailing the government. At this hour what we need is debate and deliberations; mere having fasts and targeting a single party is not going to help.If Anna and his team are so serious let them fight the corruption at the ground level which is taking away the bread and butter of the common man rather than mere adopting a selective approach , which could bring some political benefits to him and his elite team called Team Anna.Government has other priority not only listening to Team Anna.
I fail to understand why Anna Hazare's method is even remotely undemocratic, or blackmail or childish. These are highly effective pressure tactics within democratic principles and on a high moral plank. The developed democracies (i.e. West) entertain no visible nonsense from politicians or bureaucrats. Political reforms rarely come about without force. Team Anna is doing everything right to educate, motivate and inspire the people about Jan Lokpal bill while detractors simply spin and bring out red herrings. Never, ever trust people in power. Hold them responsible and accountable. This is what Team Anna is doing by holding the administrations feet to fire. These are the right political mechanisms.
The government itself is corrrupted,Anna cant make this possible.he is going against corruption by asking corrupted government to implement Janlokpal bill.The bill should be passed before the elections,Once elections are completed the government in no way can pass the bill.
This is only childish. Unrest regarding corruption can be understood, but this is blackmail. Anna's movement has gone beyond the 'anti-corruption' mantra, to cheap political tactics pressurising the government with undemocratic methods. Instead, the movement should have concentrated on educating the people about the merits of the JanLokpal bill (if any), and let them decide.
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