Thaindian News

Golakgang (Assam), Apr 7 (ANI): Stating that Anna Hazare’s fast against corruption was being supported by people from all walks of life, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s statement on the veteran social activist had created an emergency like situation similar to that in 1975.

“Hazare’s fast against corruption was being supported by people from all sections of the society but the Prime Minister refuses to accept the issue and was making irresponsible statement creating an emergency-like situation in the country,” Modi told a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) poll rally here.

The BJP veteran further said the Prime Minister’s statement that the social activist was fasting under the influence of some persons and vested interests was not only insulting to Hazare, but also to the nation as a whole.

“The Prime Minister cannot doubt his honest intention and the Centre should not consider him its enemy but accept the fact that corruption has assumed alarming proportion’,” said Modi.

“The situation is similar to that in 1975 when Jai Prakash Narayan had begun a fast protesting against the Indira Gandhi led Congress government’s high handed and corrupt practices,” he added.

The deadlock over Lokpal Bill continues even after two rounds of discussions were held between the Government and Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption activists on Thursday.

Two rounds of talks were held between Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and Hazare’s representatives in New Delhi, including Swami Agnivesh and Arvind Kejriwal.

However, both sides failed to come to a consensus on the issue of a formal notification of a joint committee and who would be the chairperson the committee.

They will meet again tomorrow for further discussions on the issue.

“On these two issues, there is no agreement so far. So we need more time and we will be meeting tomorrow (Friday) to evolve a procedure through which we can move forward,” Sibal told mediapersons after the second round of meeting.

“The timeline issue is not a big issue. We also want the bill to be formed immediately. We have not agreed on Anna Hazare being the chairman. The civil society wants Anna Hazare to be the chairman. We will meet again tomorrow morning. We have talked and addressed issues, only two outstanding issues have not been resolved,” Sibal added.

Agnivesh said that the Government agreeing on a 50:50 committee (half of the members from the civil society and half from the Government) was a major victory for Hazare.

“The point of agreement is that 50:50 committee will be formed, which is a breakthrough. The government was not agreeing on this. This is a victory of the nation. We discussed all the issues with Hazare after the meeting. We have not agreed on two outstanding issues,” Agnivesh added.

Agnivesh and Kejriwal are part of the movement started by veteran social activist Anna Hazare, whose fast-unto-death, demanding a more stringent anti-corruption law, entered its third day today.

Earlier, Sibal met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh over Hazare’s fight against corruption.

The Lokpal Bill (Ombudsman Bill), 2010, which awaits a select parliamentary committee’s nod, provides for filing complaints of corruption against the Prime Minister, ministers and lawmakers.

Hazare contended that the Lokpal Bill in its present form is useless and has drafted a separate Jan Lokpal bill (Public Ombudsman Bill), taking into account the views and suggestions from civil society and common people.

Hazare is a member of the ‘India Against Corruption’, an NGO that includes several eminent social activists including Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Swami Agnivesh. (ANI)