Laws can't be made on the streets: Soz

“Hazare's utterances won't have any impact on poll process”

Social activist Anna Hazare's utterances will not have any impact on the electoral process, and laws cannot be made on the streets, the former Union Minister, Saifuddin Soz, said on Saturday.

‘Will have no impact on poll process'

“His utterances or agitation will have no impact on the electoral process, and he will see all this in elections, because we have a democratic setup; and laws will be produced not at Jantar Mantar or at Shaheedi Chowk [in Jammu], but… through the due process of law in Parliament,” Professor Soz said, addressing a press conference in Jammu.

“Going on fast and putting pressure on Parliament is not acceptable since the Parliament is vibrant,” he said.

Without offering any direct comment on the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, Professor Soz, who is the chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee, said he did not want any debate. “It is a delicate matter since the Army is involved, so no public debate. But for explanation, I say what I said earlier: the AFSPA is a temporary law. It can protect the lives and property of people suffering from militancy sponsored by our neighbour. It was a difficult situation when the law was brought to protect the life and property of people and to fight terrorism… it is temporary… it has to go. But it will go through consultations at least with the main stakeholders.”

On rotation of CM post

On rotating the post of Chief Minister between the Congress and the National Conference, Professor Soz said it was up to the Congress leadership to decide. “I have to operate within my limits and will follow the directions. [But] I cannot stop my workers from speaking what they feel.”