Weak bill to save corrupt netas: Anna

Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday accused the Centre of cheating the people by bringing a weak lokpal bill “to save corrupt politicians” a day after the union cabinet cleared the draft legislation. HT reports.

Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday accused the Centre of cheating the people by bringing a weak lokpal bill “to save corrupt politicians” a day after the union cabinet cleared the draft legislation.

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Hazare also said the lokpal would be ineffective without control over the CBI. “If the CBI is outside, how will the lokpal be strong? This system will save corrupt politicians. If the CBI comes under the lokpal then P Chidambaram would be in jail. You are saving corrupt politicians and saying it is a strong lokpal,” he said.
Hazare also dropped the idea of witnessing the proceedings of Parliament when the lokpal bill is discussed.

He has instead planned to proceed to Mumbai to start his three-day fast from December 27. From December 30, Hazare will launch a ‘jail bharo’ agitation against the lokpal bill and start a campaign against the government in election-bound states later.

The activist, who brought the fight against corruption on the national agenda, also objected strongly to the government introducing a separate bill to redress citizens’ grievances. “How can the lokpal be effective when the citizens charter is out of its purview. A person will have to go through various levels for redressal of his grievances. It’s like fooling the people," he said.