To question the stand of political parties on the Lokpal Bill and to counter charge that their campaigning has anti-Congress focus,Team Anna on Sunday sent a series of letter starting from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, BJP president Nitin Gadkari, BSP supremo Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh.
Anna Hazare targeted the Prime Minister charging him of ‘betrayal’ by going back on his promise to not only the Gandhian but even to Parliament and the people by brining a weak Lokpal Bill which had neither the Citizens Charter nor lower bureaucracy under its ambit. He asked Singh to show some courage like he had shown during the India-US nuclear deal and bring a strong and effective Lokpal Bill.
Rahul was asked whether his party would dare to bring a strong Lokpal Bill on the lines of the Lokayukta Bill of Uttarakhand. Both PM and Rahul were questioned on why the Government was afraid to give up control over the CBI and asked “Does the CBI have some files which the Government fears? Or is it that they want to misuse CBI to save corrupt Ministers like P Chidambaram and others? Or is it you want to misuse CBI to ensure that the Government does not fall by ensuring support of Yadav and Mayawati.”
Warning that the fight for a strong anti-corruption ombudsman will not end till Jan Lokpal Bill is passed, Hazare said in his letter to the PM, “You have put your Government on stake for nuclear Bill, which was wrong. Show some courage to bring Lokpal to fight corruption. We don’t know whether the Congress will give you another chance as Prime Minister but if you do this, the country will always remember you,” he said.
Hazare alleged that Singh’s Government did not listen to voices of people on Lokpal but was quick to address the concerns raised by Rahul. In their letter to Rahul, Team Anna members said, “It looks like that the Government listens to you only. The moment you asked, they gave it. But you don’t want to give Lokpal any freedom or strength.”
Gadkari was criticised about the BJP’s change of stand on bringing Lokayuktas through the Lokpal Bill and also asked why his party did not persuade its alliance partner JD(U) to bring a strong Lokayukta Bill in Bihar on the lines of Uttarakhand. He was asked why the BJP did not move amendment in Lok Sabha seeking independence for CBI while they did so in the Rajya Sabha.
Team Anna, which had earlier faced criticism that they were not very critical of BSP, SP and BJP, flayed BSP chief Mayawati for not opposing the Bill in the Standing Committee and staging a walkout in the Lok Sabha which helped the UPA Government pass it in the Lower House. It asked her whether one can be sure that her party will not walk out during voting on Lokpal Bill next time and stick to its demand for CBI’s independence for CBI.
The Samajwadi Party had “strongly” opposed the Bill in the Standing Committee and supported Team Anna’s stand at Jantar Mantar but walked out in the Lok Sabha to help the Government, they charged. It asked Mulayam to clarify whether he would go with Congress or BJP after the UP elections.
They said that while SP leader Akhilesh Yadav was criticising the Congress during campaigning, if the party is planning to join hands with the Congress after polls is it just pretence meant just to misguide the people. Also if the party will join the Government, will the CBI take back all the cases pending against Mulayam, they wondered.
All the leaders were also asked about their stand on land acquisition and why they gave tickets to people with criminal background and those facing corruption charges.
Team Anna to campaign in Punjab for Lokpal Bill
Carrying forward their fight for a strong Lokpal, Team Anna members will campaign in Punjab tomorrow. The team’s visit to Punjab will coincide with Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi’s second visit to the state.
Those who will campaign in Punjab include former IRS officer Arvind Kejriwal, former IPS Kiran Bedi, Manish Sisodia, Kumar Vishwas, Naveen Jaihind and Gopal Das. Before kick-starting the campaign, the Team Anna will pay obeisance at the Golden temple, Amritsar.
The Team Anna and its members and supporters do not favour any political party or any individual, a team member said, adding that the only purpose of the Anna team was enactment of a strong Lokpal bill. Both ruling SAD-BJP alliance and opposition Congress in Punjab had traded charges of corruption against each other in run up to the polls scheduled for January 30.
Related posts:
- Team Anna wants special Parliament session to pass Lokpal Bill
- Team Anna wants resolution on Lokpal Bill in Parliament; government says no
- Citizen’s Charter in Lokpal Bill a must: Team Anna
- Lokpal bill may be introduced tomorrow; Team Anna on talks for August 16 fast
- Changes suggested in Lokpal Bill ‘non-negotiatble’: Team Anna
