Hazare accuses UPA of 'playing tricks' with people on Lokpal

New Delhi (PTI) - Accusing the UPA of "playing
tricks" with the people of the country, Indian social activist
Anna Hazare on Thursday questioned the rationale behind
sending two versions of Lokpal Bill to the Cabinet for
consideration.
Hazare also said he would have to restart the protest
at Jantar Mantar if a "weak" anti-corruption legislation is
cleared by the government, which he alleged was going back on
its promises.
A day after the "deadlocked" meeting of the joint
drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, the Gandhian said, "If you
want to have two drafts, then what was the need for setting up
a joint committee?
"They (government) have wasted our time. We had our
draft ready earlier and they too had theirs. They why did they
not bring this to the Cabinet earlier. The government is
playing tricks," Hazare alleged.
After the government and civil society failed to
achieve any common ground at the sixth meeting Wednesday, it
was decided to forward two versions of the Bill to the Cabinet
for its consideration.
While the government maintained that a single draft
along with a note on issues of divergence will be forwarded to
the Cabinet, the civil society side insisted that the Council
of Ministers should deliberate on two draft Bills.
Hazare alleged that the government did not have the
"will" to enact a strong Lokpal Bill which has provisions to
send corrupt people to jail.
"What is the point of according sanction to a weak
bill? If a weak bill is passed, then we will have to protest.
If it is a weak bill, then there is no gain for the people,"
he said.