Anna Hazare begins indefinite fast on Lokpal Bill

The fast unto death started by social activist Anna Hazare, 72, here today to get a corruption ombudsman (‘Lokpal’) legislation with adequate teeth has been seized by Opposition parties as an opportunity to discomfit the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on the issue of corruption.

The Bharatiya Janata Party showered support and sought an all-party meet on the matter. Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav, who came to the action site to show solidarity with Hazare, said he was convinced the ‘Jan Lokpal Bill’ pushed by latter was the need of the hour. “Just as the Election Commission and Supreme Court are effective bodies, similarly an institution which is to fight corruption has to be equally powerful,” Yadav said. “I approve of the draft prepared by Hazareji and others. I am willing to back it in Parliament.”

Support also came from Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, also a BJP member. Hazare was joined at the fast site by social campaigner Swami Agnivesh, former IPS officer Kiran Bedi and Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey.

However, some other known activists on the subject, led by National Advisory Council members Aruna Roy and Harsh Mander, made it a point to say their support for Hazare’s version of the Lok Pal Bill was conditional.

Not only did they list their differences on the subject in a written statement today, but also demanded that a larger section of people be consulted on the subject.

Differences with the Bill drafted by the Department of Personnel had prompted Hazare and supporters under the India Against Corruption forum to come up with another, more stringent, draft. The BJP, while appealing to Hazare to end his fast, asked the government to incorporate necessary changes in the proposed anti-corruption legislation, to make it more effective.

The BJP, however, is now championing a cause it did nothing much about during its 1998-2004 tenure. Asked why, party spokesperson and ex-minister Ravi Shankar Prasad dismissed these as politically-motivated allegations. “The larger issue is that the nation wants an effective Bill to deal with corruption and we respect this sentiment,’’ he told Business Standard.

As for the Bill introduced in 1998, and minus the provisions it is now pressing for inclusion, he said there was no consensus on the Bill then and very fact that the party took the initiative to table it showed it wanted to deal with the problem even then.

As mentioned before, there are quite a few who oppose the government’s draft Bill as too weak, but have differecnes with Hazare. A group led by Aruna Roy had held talks with supporters of Hazare on the Bill yesterday. A day before, the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, which differs with Hazare’s India Against Corruption, held consultations.

Hazare says he is not concerned about the differences. He says he has asked for a joint committee, comprising 50 per cent officials and the rest being lay citizens and intellectuals, to draft a ‘Jan Lokpal’ Bill. “I will fast until the Government agrees to set up such a committee,” Hazare said.

Adding: “The Prime Minister says we trust you (Hazare), we respect you. But, then why did the PM not sit with us even once after the meeting last month? If the government alone drafts this bill, it will be autocratic, not democratic, there will be discrepancies.”

The Government, however, remained a silent spectator today sending no visitors to meet the fasting activist. Arvind Kejriwal, Magsaysay awardee and who has been part of the campaign, said there has been nothing from the Government after the last-minute appeal from the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday to stop the fasting move.