Cong ups ante against Hazare

New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) With civil activist Anna
Hazare's team questioning Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's honesty, Congress party on Monday upped the ante
against the Gandhian seeking explanations from him on Justice
P B Sawant's report which had indicted the trust he was
associated with in a graft case.
Party spokesperson Manish Tewari said, "People who
hold the mirror of morality to the whole country and want to
teach values to others, should also see their faces in the
same mirror. Many people have asked what Hazare has to say on
the remarks by Justice Sawant in his report against Hazare."
The Maharashtra state government had instituted a
Commission of Inquiry under Justice P B Sawant, in September
2003 to inquire into allegations of corruption and
maladministration against several people, including Anna
Hazare.
The Commission submitted its report on February 22,
2005 in which it criticised Hind Swaraj Trust for spending
2.20 lakhs of its funds on the birthday celebrations of Hazare
finding it to be a "corrupt" practice. It also indicted Sant
Yadavbaba Shikshan Prasarak Mandal, a trust with which Hazare
is associated since its inception in 1980 for committing
"illegalities" in its audits.
Tewari said "when you raise the issue of morality,
then it becomes your responsibility to answer if any
commission of inquiry raises questions on your conduct."
Tewari also made light of Hazare's plans to meet the
Chief Justice of India to ensure that his proposed hunger
strike on August 16 does not meet the fate of Ramdev's fast at
Ramlila ground where the police allegedly lathicharged the
participants.
Demanding that their version of the bill, the Jan Lokpal
Bill, be brought in Parliament for discussion, Hazare said,
"We want our version to be introduced in Parliament. If you
send a weak bill, what will you discuss?"
Opposing the contention that the Lokpal, Indian version
of the institution of Ombudsman, will look into corruption at
higher-level, he alleged that the government draft leaves out
everything that matters to the common man and that none of the
big scams come under the ambit of the anti-corruption
ombudsman.
"Even the scams which came to light in the recent times
do not come under the ambit of Lokpal. Whether it is Adarsh
scam, Commonwealth Games scam, food grain scam, Reddy Brothers
scam, Taj Corridor scam, JMM case, cash-for-vote, fodder scam,
Karnataka land scam -- none of these will come under the ambit
of Lokpal," Hazare claimed in the letter.
It raises a "big" question, he claimed, that who will
come under the ambit of Lokpal and the government was now
trying to set up a new institution which has no powers as it
did in the past.
He also questioned the government's rationale in sending
letters to Chief Ministers seeking their views on setting up
Lokayukta in states, saying that the issue is under concurrent
list and there was no need for such correspondence.
"Did they write letters to Chief Ministers for the 73rd
and 74th Constitutional amendments (related to Panchayati Raj
and urban local bodies)? This time such a letter was written
with a purpose," he said.
In his letter, Hazare said, "You are putting the ball in
Chief Ministers' court and the Chief Ministers (are) hitting
the ball back to you. Both parties are shifting their
responsibilities on to each others' shoulders," he said.
Contesting the government's claim that it could not bring
all the employees under the Lokpal, he asked whether the
government intended to allow them to indulge in corruption.
Contending that corruption is as big a crime as rape
or murder, Hazare said, "Where will the common man go to file
a case of corruption? Is it not your government's duty to
provide relief to a citizen?
"It is unfortunate that after 62 years of independence
the government cannot provide relief to common man who is
troubled by corruption.
"Corruption has become part and parcel of government.
If cases of murder and rape increase like that of corruption,
will this be your response?" he said.
Asked whether he would receive support similar to
what he got during his April 5 fast following which a joint
Lokpal Bill drafting committee was set up, Hazare appeared
confident and said people want a strong set up to fight
corruption.
"When people are awaken, then the government will have
to listen to their voices. They will have to bring a strong
Lokpal Bill," he said.
On the question of inclusion of judiciary in the ambit
of the ombudsman, Hazare sought to clarify their stand saying
that the Lokpal is not meant to punish judges but just
investigate corruption charges against them.
"It's just an investigation and Lokpal will file a
report to Supreme Court which will take a decision on it. What
is the problem in it? How is the Lokpal going to transcend
law?" Hazare said.
Lawyer Prashant Bhushan said it was a "false belief"
that Lokpal will be above Supreme Court if it investigates
cases against judges. "Is the police or the CBI which will
investigate cases against judges above the courts?" he said.
Bhushan said they had approached Delhi Police seeking
permission for the indefinite fast but "curiously" the force
had asked them to first get permission from New Delhi
Municipal Council (NDMC).
"We are in talks with the police. We will also seek
the permission of NDMC as they demanded. But this is against a
fundamental right to protest against government. This move is
against Constitution. If they deny us permission, then we will
approach Supreme Court," he said.