Hailing Anna Hazare's campaign for a "more effective" Lokpal Bill, senior BJP leader L K Advani disapproved of those who revel in spreading a climate of disdain about politics and politicians which he said was a gross disservice to democracy.

In his latest blog, he said Hazare's fast achieved more in four days than what the opposition had in two months when it was demanding a JPC probe into the 2G scam.

Interestingly, Advani gave credit to TV and information technology for what Hazare achieved in a short time.

"The immediate effect (of TV and IT) has been that JPC which the NDA, supported by the entire opposition, could achieve only after two months and that too by not allowing Parliament to have any business for whole of winter session.

"Hazare was able to achieve his limited objective of a more effective Lokpal Bill within four days of his announcement of a fast unto death," Advani said.

Advani criticised leaders from the ruling party who had called Hazare an "RSS agent". He praised the social activist's response and the letter he wrote to prime minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.

He blamed the UPA government for both the problems in granting a JPC as well as in Anna's success and maintained that this regime has by now earned the "singular reputation" of being the most corrupt government in independent India.

He also expressed his ire against those who attacked former BJP leader Uma Bharti when she visited Jantar Mantar to meet Hazare during the agitation.

"It is index of Anna's innate decency and his disinclination to believe that all politicians are corrupt that when he learnt about this he publicly apologized to Uma.

"I am of the view that those who revel in spreading a general climate of disdain about politics and politicians are doing a gross disservice to democracy," Advani said.

He maintained that despite the shortcomings of Indian democracy there were still "conscientious and upright politicians" in the country.

Advani also heaped praise on yoga guru Baba Ramdev for contributing to Hazare's movement.

"In fact, government should be conscious that the dimensions of corruption have become so frightening that the assault on this malady has to be multi-pronged," he said.

Advani suggested that a meeting of political parties should be convened to discuss this issue "particularly in the context of black money and curbing money-power in elections".

Hazare had also expressed concern about use of money-power in elections.

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Hazare demands Kapil Sibal's resignation from Lokpal committee

Controversy dogged the Joint Committee set up to draft an effective Lok Pal even before it starts its work with Gandhian Anna Hazare today asking HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to resign from it "if he feels nothing will come" out of this institution.

His colleagues in the campaign for a strong Lok Pal Bill, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal, also slammed Sibal, who, however, denied having made any such statement and that he was with Hazare for drafting a strong anti-corruption legislation.

The 73-year-old social activist, who fought a successful battle for constitution of a 10-member committee of ministers and civil society representatives, said "If Sibal feels that nothing will happen due to the Lokpal Bill then he should resign from the joint committee as soon as possible."

Before leaving for his village Ralegaon Siddhi in Maharashtra, he told reporters "Why is he (Sibal) wasting his and our time? He should do other things for the country. Why does he want to be in the committee.

"If you believe that nothing will happen, you should not be there in the joint committee, he should resign and do some other work."

The Committee, chaired by senior minister Pranab Mukherjee, is to hold its first meeting on April 16 and is expected to come out with its draft of the Bill by June 30.

Sibal had yesterday told a public meeting here, "I ask this question. If a poor child does not have any means for education, then how will Lokpal Bill help? If a poor man needs help for medical services then, he will call up a politician.

How will Lokpal Bill help."

Asked about Hazare's demand, Sibal told reporters today that he was with the Gandhian and that he wanted the Bill to be drafted as early as possible and to be effective in tackling corruption everywhere.

Clarifying his yesterday's remarks, he said what he had meant was that "the scope of the Bill is different. The problems of the common man are different."

"I said that if you want to educate children, then this has no connection to Lokpal. If there is no water...

Lokpal is only connected to corruption and we will bring a good bill that will stop corruption."

He said they would sit with Hazare and bring out a bill so that the objective will be realised.

Bedi said Sibal should not waste the time of other committee members if he had no faith in its efforts. "Then it is better for him to withdraw from the committee," she said.

Activist Arvind Kejriwal said Sibal should not have made "sweeping" statements on the Lokpal which were raising doubts about the "seriousness" of the government in bringing in the legislation.