Making a scathing attack on the Central ministers and Congress leaders, who have reportedly threatened him with repression similar to what yoga guru Ramdev faced when he went on fast, social activist Anna Hazare on Monday termed the government draft on Lokpal a “joke” played on the nation.
Hazare, who has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on this issue, said:
“The government's draft prepared by the five ministers in the joint drafting committee is a joke played on the nation. The scope of the draft is so confined that it does not address the corruption faced by common man.”
Hazare stood firm on his threat to go on indefinite fast from August 16 and reiterated his demand for a “strong” Lokpal Bill be tabled in Parliament. Noting that he was ready to wait for the Parliamentary procedure to be completed if the government tabled a strong Bill, Hazare said he urged the prime minister to rectify the deficiencies in the draft.
Opposing the contention that the Lokpal will look into corruption at higher-level, he alleged the government draft left out everything that matters to the common man and that none of the big scams come under the ambit of the ombudsman.
Hazare announced that a referendum on Jan Lokpal Bill will be conducted in the Chandni Chowk Parliamentary constituency in Delhi from where Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal was elected.
“We are conducting a referendum in his parliamentary constituency because he has been refusing to accept others’ views on Lokpal, said Hazare.
“The referendum will be conducted from July 21 to 24 and the result of this referendum will come out in ten days,” said Hazare. Civil society member Arvind Kejriwal explained that the referendum is being done independently and India Against Corruption will not, in any way, influence public opinion. The results are to be processed by an independent agency.
The referendum is being done on eight issues, including bringing the PM and judiciary in the ambit of ombudsman and making Lokpal responsible for investigating all kinds of corruption.
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the police was not giving permission to Hazare to sit on fast at Jantar Mantar.
“It is unconstitutional to prohibit peaceful protests. If police do not allow us, we will approach the Supreme Court,” said Bhushan.