Anna trying to impose Lokpal Bill 'totally misconceived': PM

New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Asserting that Parliament was the
sole body to frame laws, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
Wednesday said Anna Hazare had sought to impose his version of
Lokpal Bill and his path (rpt) his path was "totally
misconceived" and fraught with "grave consequences" for
Parliamentary democracy.
Making a statement in both Houses of Parliament in the
wake of action against Hazare and his supporters, Singh said
the government acknowledges the right of citizens to hold
peaceful protests but permission for these is given subject to
"appropriate conditions".
Amid continued chants of "shame shame" by Opposition
benches, he appealed to all political parties to ensure that
the government and its processes and Parliament and its
processes function smoothly and effectively.
While giving details of the sequence of events that led
to civil activist's arrest and subsequent release, Singh said
Hazare had been held as a preventive measure because of
apprehension of breach of peace.
"Government does not seek any confrontation with any
section of the society. But when some sections of society
deliberately challenge the authority of government and
prerogative of Parliament, it is the bounden duty of the
government to maintain peace and tranquility," he asserted
after demand by all Opposition parties that nothing short of
Prime Minister's statement would satisfy them.
"Hazare may be inspired by high ideals in his campaign to
set up a strong and effective Lokpal. However, the path that
he has chosen to impose his draft of a bill upon Parliament is
totally misconceived and fraught with grave consequences for
our Parliamentary democracy," he said.
Singh, who spoke in Parliament soon after a Congress Core
Group meeting, asserted that it is the sole prerogative of
Parliament to make laws and government has gone by
well-settled principles.
Insisting that "the issue" between the government and
Anna Hazare is "not one of different attitudes to fighting
corruption", the Prime Minister said the civil society
activists "must allow the elected representatives of the
people in Parliament to do the job that they were elected
for.
"With respect to the events of yesterday (Tuesday), I will
only say that a functional democracy must allow multiple
voices to be heard. But differences of opinion must be
resolved through dialogue and consensus. Those who believe
that their voice and their voice alone represents the will of
1.2 billion people should reflect deeply on that position," he
said.
Singh said everyone in Parliament agrees that Lokpal Bill
must be passed as early as possible. "The question is, who
drafts the law and who makes the law. I submit that the
time-honoured practice is that the Executive drafts a Bill and
places it before Parliament and that Parliament debates and
adopts the Bill with amendments if necessary," he said.
"However, I am not aware of any constitutional philosophy
or principle that allows any one to question the sole
prerogative of Parliament to make a law," he observed.
He said that in making a law on Lokpal, the government has
"faithfully adhered to well-settled principles" and Hazare
"questions these principles and claims a right to impose his
Jan Lokpal upon Parliament."
While performing the "painful duty" of reporting to
Parliament the developments surrounding Hazare, the Prime
Minister referred to his Independence Day address where he had
spoken at length about the need to deal effectively with
corruption.
"I would like to assure the House that we are determined
to provide a government that is transparent, accountable and
responsive at all times and determined to fight corruption,"
he said.
But, he maintained, "there is no magic wand by which, in
one stroke, we will get rid of menace of corruption. We have
to work simultaneously on several fronts."
Singh pointed out that he had outlined some of the
measures that government intends to put in place to strengthen
fight against corruption and invited all sections of the House
to join hands to deal with the "cancer of corruption".
Appealing for allowing smooth functioning of Parliament,
he said, "There is no substitute for that. If some people do
not agree with our policy, there will be a time when they will
have an opportunity to present their points of view to the
people of India."
Noting that India is an emerging economy and important
player on the world stage, Singh said, "there are many forces
that would not like to see India realise its true place in the
comity of nations. We must not play into their hands."
He said such an environment should not be created in which
"economic progress is hijacked by internal dissension. We must
keep our mind focused on the need to push ahead with economic
progress for the uplift of the 'aam aadmi' (common man)".