Cong attacks Hazare on Sawant commission report on graft

New Delhi/Kolkata, Aug 14 (PTI) Ahead of his indefinite
fast on Lokpal issue, Anna Hazare Sunday faced fresh attack
with Congress saying he should first clarify "serious"
findings against him of a Commission that probed graft charges
while Indian Government said his move was "undemocratic" and
"unacceptable".
Hitting out at the Gandhian who has planned to go on an
indefinite fast in Delhi from Tuesday, Government also said
the right to protest does not mean right to protest at the
place of your choice.
The Government rejected the contention by the
anti-corruption crusader that it was crushing his
Constitutional rights by not allowing his protest at a desired
venue and said the demand itself was unconstitutional and the
protest at this time was an "affront" to Parliament.
"The right to protest does not mean right to protest at
your choice. There is no right to protest at place of your
choice and convenience," Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said.
Addressing a news conference in Delhi, Sibal and Union
I and B Minister Ambika Soni slammed Hazare for his letter to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday, saying the language
used in the letter is not Gandhian from any point of view.
Claiming that the "moral core" of Hazare has been
"ripped apart" by the Justice P B Sawant Commission, Congress
spokesman Manish Tewari said, "The fast from August 16 has
nothing to do with either the issue of corruption or the
Lokpal bill."
The Commission had probed corruption charges levelled
by Hazare in 2003 against four ministers in the then
Maharashtra government.
"The fast from August 16 has nothing to do with either
the issue of corruption or the Lokpal bill. If that was the
case Hazare would have first clarified the grave charges.
What is his clarification about the serious findings...The
nation wants to know," Tewari said, adding, "I think Hazare
and his associates will need to answer conclusions of Sawant
Commission."

Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the social
activist was challenging the constitutional authority of
Parliament and asserted there is no third authority to make
law.
He trained his guns on Hazare saying nobody can compel
that it has to draft the law as per his desire.
"It is for Parliament to decide. What Anna Hazare is
doing, he is challenging the constitutional authority of
Parliament, which is not acceptable," Mukherjee told reporters
in eastern Indian city Kolkata.
"So far the Constitution is concerned, it is not given
to any individual. So far the laws made under List I of the
Constitution, Parliament and Parliament alone is the competent
authority to make law. So far the List II and concurrent list
of the Constitution are concerned, it is the state assembly
who are to make the law, there is no third authority to make
law," he said.
Asking if Anna can give a "guarantee" in writing that
one instrument like Lokpal will end corruption, Soni said,"
"people are being misled that corruption is out as soon as
Lokpal is in."
Reacting to Hazare's allegation that the government was
putting impediments in his proposed fast, Sibal said, "the
right to protest does not mean right to protest at a place of
your choince. There is no right to protest at place of your
choice and convenience."
He also cited judgements of the Supreme Court and the
Delhi High court to support his stand.
"The protest is thoroughly unconstitutional...It is an
affront to Parliament" he said questioning the purpose of the
fast and alleging that there are some "other powers" behind
all this and it has a different purpose.
Accusing Hazare of attempting to bring instability in
the country, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari was also
critical of Hazare for the tone and tenor of his letter to the
Prime Minister and accused him of crossing all limits of
decency and decorum.