Zeenews Bureau
Mumbai: With people’s support fast dwindling for Anna Hazare’s movement and the government getting the Lokpal Bill passed in Lok Sabha yesterday, Team Anna on Wednesday urged people not to have a blind faith on the parliamentary democracy.
Team Anna’s scathing remarks came a day after the Lokpal Bill was approved by Lok Sabha with a voice vote and the government also refused to budge an inch over the same.
Addressing a gathering of supporters at the MMRDA Ground, key Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said, “The bill passed by the Lok Sabha yesterday is a bill that has been passed to serve the interest of the ruling party. The anti-graft legislation passed by the Lok Sabha is dangerous for the nation as it braces corruption.”
Coming down hard on the UPA government, Kejriwal said, “This is not a bill meant for the nation, this is not a bill approved by the whole political fraternity. In fact, this is a bill which is meant for the ruling UPA only. It has nothing to do with fighting corruption.”
Rejecting the Lokpal Bill passed by the Lok Sabha, Kejriwal said, “This bill will not fight corruption. How will it fight corruption when it lacks several tough measures demanded by the civil society to curb the menace of corruption?” he asked adding, “This bill will only shield the corrupt politicians and the bureaucrats.”
Explaining the flaws of the anti-graft legislation, he said, “After rejecting our demands for the inclusion of Group C & D employees, the MPs and bringing the CBI under the purview of the Lokpal, the government has now excluded corruption cases related to the armed forces.”
Terming the elected representatives as bonded labours of their respective parties, Kejriwal said, “Our elected representative are not listening to the voice of their inner conscience. They have become a bonded labour of their party high command. Unmindful of their actions, they do what their senior leaders ask them to do.”
“Is this what we call parliamentary democracy?" he asked.
Kejriwal concluded by saying, “After Lok Sabha’s approval of the Lokpal Bill, the fight for a strong anti-graft legislation has become more complicated. We all have a long way to go. Let us unite to teach a lesson to this government for cheating the nation and failing to deliver its promise on Lokpal."
First Published: Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 15:16