NEW DELHI, Feb 1:
Activist Anna Hazare today accused the Government of betrayal on the issue of making Lokpal a strong tool to curb corruption and dismissed the proposed legislation as “ineffective”.
Demanding making CBI and CVC as independent bodies on par with Election Commission, Hazare said if required he may again go back to the Ramlila Maidan to press for an effective Lokpal.
“The Government has been betraying us and people of the country repeatedly….If required I will go back to Ramlila Maidan to demand a strong and effective Lokpal Bill,” Hazare said addressing a press conference.
Rejecting the Lokpal Bill cleared by the Cabinet yesterday, Hazare said the fight against corruption will not be effective if Government did not relinquish its control over CBI and CVC.
“Due to Government’s control over CBI and CVC, corruption has increased. Both these bodies must be made autonomous like the Election Commission,” he said.
Hazare also criticised Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh accusing him of failing to keep his promise on specific demands based on which he had ended his 12-day-long fast in August 2011.
The Union Cabinet yesterday amended the controversial Lokpal Bill, delinking it from the setting up of Lokayuktas in the States and transferring powers of sanction of prosecution against public servant to the ombudsman.
The Cabinet accepted 14 of the 16 recommendations made by the Rajya Sabha Select Committee, which was set up in May last year amid sharp differences among political parties because of which the legislation was stuck in the Upper House since December 2011.
The approval of the official amendments paves the way for consideration of the bill afresh by the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session expected to begin towards the end of February.
Hazare said he will travel across the country to make people aware about “Government’s betrayal” and to motivate them to elect those with clean image in the 2014 general elections.
Hazare alleged that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has failed to keep his written promises on Lokpal, which he gave in August 2011, specially on three issues of bringing class I, II, III, IV employees under the purview of Lokpal, forming Lokayuktas in states and citizen’s charter.
“In his letter, the PM had said that class I, II, III and IV officers would be brought under the Lokapl, Lokayuktas would be formed in States and citizen’s charter would be prepared. But all these three points are missing from the one passed by the Union Cabinet,” he said.
The Gandhian also said the Government had not been true to its promises since he started his agitation on the issue two years back. “If Government will keep on telling lies then what will happen to the country.”
Asked about Rahul Gandhi’s statement that “power is poison”, he said if it is poison, then “why the Government and the parties are after it and why don’t they leave it.
“It’s not poison but it is like addiction.”
On the issue of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi being projected as future Prime Minister, the activist said, “I have doubts that if he becomes Prime Minister then he would do any good for the country… He had not appointed a Lokayukta in his State then, how can we expect a Lokpal from him”.
On his future course of action, Hazare said that he would tour the country in next one-and-a-half year and find out people with good character and motivate them to work for the country.
On being asked about supporting his old colleague Arvind Kejriwal, who formed Aam Aadmi Party, he said, “I will not support him or his party or any party. I will support any individual who has a good character and a clean image.”
He also made it clear that he would not support Kejriwal’s party or any other party if its members don’t have a clean image.
He said that dynastic rule in democracy was very dangerous as it would promote a system which was prevailing during monarchy in the country.
It will give rise to a corrupt system of “power through money and money through power”, he warned.
When pointed out that the Lokpal was being cleared by Members of Parliament who were elected representatives of people, he said “if they are elected representatives then why aren’t they coming up with a legislation which the people are demanding”. (PTI)
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