New Delhi: Rejecting charges that civil society was bulldozing its way on the Jan Lokpal bill, activist Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said they had mass support which proved they were not forcing their ideology.
"The masses are here to express they will not tolerate corruption. If we were forcing our view, you would not have seen this crowd that has gathered," Kejriwal said at Ramlila ground this morning.
The Team Anna member also urged the parliamentary standing committee looking into the Lokpal Bill to reject the government`s bill, saying it will only waste time on it.
Kejriwal claimed at the Ramlila ground, where social activist Anna Hazare is continuing his fast against corruption, that the government`s Lokpal Bill will only protect the corrupt.
"We requested the standing committee to completely reject the bill and send it back to the government because there is no time for the standing committee and parliament to waste their precious time in discussing a totally wrong bill," Kejriwal said.
"But we think that by accepting this bill and calling for public feedback, they will only be wasting their time. It needs complete overhaul, (it) cannot be amended," he said reacting to the standing committee`s invitation for public suggestions on the government`s bill.
"As far as calling the feedback is concerned it is not a referendum also. If the government does any referendum, the government bill will be totally trashed by the people. This is simply diverting attention," Kejriwal said.
"When we appeared before the standing committee we told them that this bill is protecting corruption. We specifically pointed various clauses in the bill. The investigating procedure mentioned in the bill will protect the corrupt," he added.
"If you make a complaint to the Lokpal and if you raise your voice against corruption, if you don`t have sufficient evidence, then you can be actually imprisoned for two years.
"This bill actually promotes corruption, protects corrupt people, and imprison people who raise voice against corruption," the activist said.
IANS
