Anna to Sonia: How is this lokpal strong?

Challenges Congress chief to public debate

PTI | December 22, 2011




Hitting out at the government on the "useless" Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazare today challenged Congress chief Sonia Gandhi to a public debate on it to convince people that the proposed legislation is strong.

Hazare said the new Bill is of no use if the anti-corruption ombudsman does not have control over CBI and the lower bureaucracy is not brought under its direct control.

"Sonia Gandhi says the bill is strong. If it is so, let she come out and debate with us in front of media. Let people see it. Convince the people of the country that it is strong.

We will explain how it is not strong," he told reporters here.

"What is right and wrong with the bill, let us debate in public," he said as government prepared to introduce the bill in Lok Sabha.

Hazare's remarks came as a response to Gandhi's speech at Congress Parliamentary Party meeting yesterday during which she said the proposed legislation was strong and she was ready for a fight for it.

Continuing his attack on the government, Hazare said he will go ahead with his three-day fast from December 27 and then 'jail bharo' agitation against the "weak" bill which will not help the poor in their fight against corruption.

"I will be part of the group that will 'gherao' the residences of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi as part of our jail filling agitation," he said.

He said putting CBI out of Lokpal shows how the bill will be "useless".

"The biggest victims of corruption are the poor who have to pay bribes to get any work done. How will the commonman live like this? Out demand is that lower bureaucracy be brought under Lokpal," he said. .

Comments

 

Other News

Who checks the books?

I read about the news about the Coimbatore library over coffee this morning. On the face of it, the headline was about a political ‘war’ between the DMK and TVK. But what stayed with me was something much more important than the blame game behind what had transpired. A writer walking through

Development paradox: Falling poverty miracle and an inequality problem

India’s reduction in poverty over the past decade is a development achievement of considerable significance. The World Bank’s April 2026 ‘India Development Update’ estimates that the share of Indians living below the international extreme-poverty line of $3.00 per person per day i

In Arunachal, a river we call mother

In Arunachal Pradesh, the Siang is not just a river. For many of us, especially the Adi people, it is part of our family. Our grandparents fished in it. Children learned to swim in it. Our farms drink from it. When someone says a huge dam will be built on it, we do not hear the word "project".

A new retelling of the Mahabharata delves into key moments

In a time when every decision carries consequences and questions of ambition, power, loyalty, identity and moral choice continue to shape our lives, Dr. Arun Krishnan’s new book, ‘Mahakshana’ (Penguin India) offers a strikingly relevant retelling of the Mahabharata.  

Cabinet approves viability gap funding to develop grid-scale energy storage systems

The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, has approved the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) Scheme for Development of Grid-Scale Energy Storage Systems, with a total financial support of Rs.14,500 crore for the period FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31. The scheme aims to support the development o

Cabinet creates a pathway to absorb Agniveers in Defence Forces

An objective assessment in terms of organisational requirements and operational efficiency has brought out the outstanding performance of Agniveers in terms of skills, motivation levels, physical fitness and technological prowess. As envisaged earlier, based on merit, 25% of Agniveers will be offered reg

Upcoming Conferences



-->

Archives

Current Issue

Opinion

Facebook Twitter Google Plus Linkedin Subscribe Newsletter

Twitter