New Delhi: The recent civil society movement
triggered by Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign holds the
danger of undermining democracy and its institutions, senior
Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Sunday.
"Civil society's recent movement has not understood the
malaise. Their recent movement carries the danger of
undermining our democratic institutions and our democracy,"
Aiyar told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
"Civil society can and should agitate on issues but the
resolution of issues can only take place in the institutions
of democracy," he said.
Aiyar, a nominated member of Rajya Sabha, said, "If a
politician is not allowed to enter Janta Mantar and anybody
who says he has got the support of the people is described as
a filthy dirty fellow and these noble people will never fight
an election...then you are endangering democracy...They don't
understand what they are doing is undermining democracy."
Aiyar's remarks came days after the government said it was
keen to work with civil society members to draft a sound
Lokpal bill despite controversies and yesterday's meeting of
the activists led by Anna Hazare that decided that Justice
Santosh Hegde, who had threatened to quit from the drafting
committee, would continue as a member.
Emphasising the need for inclusive growth in the country,
Aiyar said, "That is the danger we are facing, if we have to
preserve our democracy...we must recognise that inclusive
governance is a critical pre-requisite for development.
Without inclusive growth, we will neither be able to sustain
development nor promote democracy," he said.
Noting that without inclusive growth, high growth will
cause deep social fissures that will aggravate inequalities in
the society, he said, "Widening gap will lead to naxal problem
and mindless anti-incumbency and like the recent atmosphere by
the middle class in which the political class is being
disrespected."
PTI
First Published: Sunday, April 24, 2011, 23:30