ID :
189113
Thu, 06/16/2011 - 22:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/189113
The shortlink copeid
Hazare to go on fast; govt says don't threaten
New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Indian activist Anna Hazare on
Thursday threatened to go on hunger strike from August 16
alleging "backtracking" on Lokpal bill but the government
refused to yield, saying it cannot allow creation of a
"parallel" structure.
Amidst hardening of positions by both sides, government
made it clear that it would come out with a "strong and sound"
draft of Lokpal bill by June 30 irrespective of whether civil
society activists cooperate.
A day after talks in the joint drafting committee on
Lokpal Bill got deadlocked, Hazare accused the government of
having no intention to enact a strong anti-corruption law and
that it had "backtracked" on the promises that it will agree
to all the suggestions forwarded by the civil society members.
Hazare, whose hunger strike in April had evoked
nationwide response which rattled the government, said he will
undertake an indefinite fast from August 16 if a diluted
legislation is brought.
Shortly after press conference by Hazare and his team,
ministers in the drafting committee P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal
and Salman Khurshid hit back at the civil society, making it
clear that the government will not succumb to threats.
"You cannot threaten and negotiate at the same
time...This is not the way forward...The government is not
going to get diverted by abuses and slander," HRD Minister
Sibal said at a press conference.
Home Minister Chidambaram said, "I don't think anywhere
in the world, fasting is the way to draft a bill."
He asserted that many of the demands of the Hazare team
cannot be accepted because a structure parallel to the
government cannot be allowed.
"We cannot create a parallel government outside the
government that controls every action of the government. We
have serious differences on the issue," Sibal said.
Chidambaram maintained that the basic features of the
Constitution cannot be altered and political processes have to
be respected.
"Laws are made by Parliament. Congress is not the only
elected party. There are other parties. One has to respect the
political processes... There is a gap between what is
desirable and what is possible," he said.
Affirming the government's commitment to bring an
effective Lokpal Bill, he said "once Parliament passes it, the
vast majority of countrymen would say good job has been done."
On demands for conferring upon 11-member Lokpal powers to
initiate departmental proceedings against bureaucrats, Sibal
said "how can a government wantonly pass over that power."
He said if these powers were transferred to the Lokpal,
government servants would be loyal to it and not government.
"We said we oppose this change to the basic structure,"
Sibal said adding that these were the elements of discussion
at the meeting of the Joint Drafting Committee which cannot be
construed as "decisions" as alleged by Hazare's team.
Chidambaram also dismissed the demand for a referendum on
Lokpal Bill saying that the Constitution does not provide for
such a measure and wondered whether a legislation can be put
to such a vote clause by clause.
The ministers cautioned against making the Lokpal an all
powerful body wondering what controls can be applied if the
Lokpal or its officials go corrupt.
On the contentious issue of bringing the Prime Minister
under the purview of the Lokpal, Chidambaram said there could
be many possibilities including doing so with "clearly carved
out exceptions" or after the person demits office.
"There is no decision. It is a matter of discussion," he
said.
Noting that the Prime Minister was the lynchpin in a
Parliamentary democracy, Sibal said if allegations were
levelled against the PM that would make him defunct till the
investigation.
"In the meanwhile, you have destroyed the credibility of
the institution. They may think of Prime Minister as an
individual. We think of Prime Minister as an institution and
we want to protect that institution."
Hazare said he was "surprised" that the government wanted
civil society members to give a separate draft of the bill
which will be brought before the cabinet along with that of
the government.
"If there have to be two drafts, then why was this joint
committee formed. They could have told us earlier. Our draft
was known to them. Why waste so much of time? It is clear that
the government has no intention to bring an effective bill,"
Hazare said.
Alleging that the government had gone back on assurances
given to him to persuade him to withdraw his hunger strike in
April, he said, "I will resume my fast on August 16....if the
government tries to suppress us like in the case of Ramdev, we
are prepared for that," he said.
However, the Hazare camp made it clear that they will
attend the meetings of June 20 and 21 to see what the
government has to say on the issue.
While Hazare's team was blistering in its attack, the
union ministers gave a point-by-point rebuttal in a calm
manner.
Sibal said there will not be two drafts of the Lokpal
Bill. "There will be a single Bill with viewpoints of both
parties on issues of disagreement," he said.
Hazare's aide Arvind Kejriwal said the government has
"frittered away a huge opportunity" to frame a strong bill and
take credit for it. "What the government is now bringing is
not a Lokpal Bill but a 'Jokepal' Bill."
Khurshid took potshots at Hazare quipping "till yesterday
it was not a joke and today it has become a joke. Maybe some
people understand jokes late".
While rejecting Hazare team's demand for releasing audio
recordings of the meeting, Sibal slammed the civil society
members saying "whenever any suggestion was made to them their
response was anger."
Asked why the government decided to engage the five
members of the civil society in drafting the Bill, Chidambaram
said the wisdom of a decision taken at a point of time cannot
be revisited now.
Disapproving of the attack by Hazare's team on ministers,
Sibal said "to question our honesty and say half of our
ministers will go jail if Lokpal comes up. Is this the line of
discourse... this is not the way forward."
Taking a dig at Hazare for his comments that they will go
to jail and get free food, Sibal said "eminent people should
not petty talks."
To a question whether the increased bitterness with the
Hazare camp marked the end of the Joint Drafting Committee,
Sibal said "we have no bitter feelings against anybody however
much they may abuse us."
Thursday threatened to go on hunger strike from August 16
alleging "backtracking" on Lokpal bill but the government
refused to yield, saying it cannot allow creation of a
"parallel" structure.
Amidst hardening of positions by both sides, government
made it clear that it would come out with a "strong and sound"
draft of Lokpal bill by June 30 irrespective of whether civil
society activists cooperate.
A day after talks in the joint drafting committee on
Lokpal Bill got deadlocked, Hazare accused the government of
having no intention to enact a strong anti-corruption law and
that it had "backtracked" on the promises that it will agree
to all the suggestions forwarded by the civil society members.
Hazare, whose hunger strike in April had evoked
nationwide response which rattled the government, said he will
undertake an indefinite fast from August 16 if a diluted
legislation is brought.
Shortly after press conference by Hazare and his team,
ministers in the drafting committee P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal
and Salman Khurshid hit back at the civil society, making it
clear that the government will not succumb to threats.
"You cannot threaten and negotiate at the same
time...This is not the way forward...The government is not
going to get diverted by abuses and slander," HRD Minister
Sibal said at a press conference.
Home Minister Chidambaram said, "I don't think anywhere
in the world, fasting is the way to draft a bill."
He asserted that many of the demands of the Hazare team
cannot be accepted because a structure parallel to the
government cannot be allowed.
"We cannot create a parallel government outside the
government that controls every action of the government. We
have serious differences on the issue," Sibal said.
Chidambaram maintained that the basic features of the
Constitution cannot be altered and political processes have to
be respected.
"Laws are made by Parliament. Congress is not the only
elected party. There are other parties. One has to respect the
political processes... There is a gap between what is
desirable and what is possible," he said.
Affirming the government's commitment to bring an
effective Lokpal Bill, he said "once Parliament passes it, the
vast majority of countrymen would say good job has been done."
On demands for conferring upon 11-member Lokpal powers to
initiate departmental proceedings against bureaucrats, Sibal
said "how can a government wantonly pass over that power."
He said if these powers were transferred to the Lokpal,
government servants would be loyal to it and not government.
"We said we oppose this change to the basic structure,"
Sibal said adding that these were the elements of discussion
at the meeting of the Joint Drafting Committee which cannot be
construed as "decisions" as alleged by Hazare's team.
Chidambaram also dismissed the demand for a referendum on
Lokpal Bill saying that the Constitution does not provide for
such a measure and wondered whether a legislation can be put
to such a vote clause by clause.
The ministers cautioned against making the Lokpal an all
powerful body wondering what controls can be applied if the
Lokpal or its officials go corrupt.
On the contentious issue of bringing the Prime Minister
under the purview of the Lokpal, Chidambaram said there could
be many possibilities including doing so with "clearly carved
out exceptions" or after the person demits office.
"There is no decision. It is a matter of discussion," he
said.
Noting that the Prime Minister was the lynchpin in a
Parliamentary democracy, Sibal said if allegations were
levelled against the PM that would make him defunct till the
investigation.
"In the meanwhile, you have destroyed the credibility of
the institution. They may think of Prime Minister as an
individual. We think of Prime Minister as an institution and
we want to protect that institution."
Hazare said he was "surprised" that the government wanted
civil society members to give a separate draft of the bill
which will be brought before the cabinet along with that of
the government.
"If there have to be two drafts, then why was this joint
committee formed. They could have told us earlier. Our draft
was known to them. Why waste so much of time? It is clear that
the government has no intention to bring an effective bill,"
Hazare said.
Alleging that the government had gone back on assurances
given to him to persuade him to withdraw his hunger strike in
April, he said, "I will resume my fast on August 16....if the
government tries to suppress us like in the case of Ramdev, we
are prepared for that," he said.
However, the Hazare camp made it clear that they will
attend the meetings of June 20 and 21 to see what the
government has to say on the issue.
While Hazare's team was blistering in its attack, the
union ministers gave a point-by-point rebuttal in a calm
manner.
Sibal said there will not be two drafts of the Lokpal
Bill. "There will be a single Bill with viewpoints of both
parties on issues of disagreement," he said.
Hazare's aide Arvind Kejriwal said the government has
"frittered away a huge opportunity" to frame a strong bill and
take credit for it. "What the government is now bringing is
not a Lokpal Bill but a 'Jokepal' Bill."
Khurshid took potshots at Hazare quipping "till yesterday
it was not a joke and today it has become a joke. Maybe some
people understand jokes late".
While rejecting Hazare team's demand for releasing audio
recordings of the meeting, Sibal slammed the civil society
members saying "whenever any suggestion was made to them their
response was anger."
Asked why the government decided to engage the five
members of the civil society in drafting the Bill, Chidambaram
said the wisdom of a decision taken at a point of time cannot
be revisited now.
Disapproving of the attack by Hazare's team on ministers,
Sibal said "to question our honesty and say half of our
ministers will go jail if Lokpal comes up. Is this the line of
discourse... this is not the way forward."
Taking a dig at Hazare for his comments that they will go
to jail and get free food, Sibal said "eminent people should
not petty talks."
To a question whether the increased bitterness with the
Hazare camp marked the end of the Joint Drafting Committee,
Sibal said "we have no bitter feelings against anybody however
much they may abuse us."
