Anna movement anti-democratic: Somnath Chatterjee
August 22nd, 2011 - 1:59 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) Former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee says the Anna Hazare-led movement against corruption is undemocratic and the prime minister is an honest person.
“If the government goes out for the so called people’s movement, then what will happen? There will be election and it will be on the opposition to form the government..have they promised to pass the Jan Lokpal bill and can they do it,” Chatterjee asked.
In an interview to CNN IBN, Chatterjee said the demands put forth by Anna and his supporters are “anti-democratic”.
“To my mind, from what I have seen, the prime minister is an honest man. The talks…that he should control corruption…it’s not a democratic demand. It sounds rather anti-democratic to me,” he said.
“How can you fix a time limit…on what authority are they fixing a time limit,” he asked, referring to the demand of civil society activists to pass the anti-graft legislation by Aug 30.
Gandhian activist Anna Hazare has been on fast since last Tuesday demanding a strong, anti-corruption Lokpal bill. Thousands of supporters have joined the movement and are raising anti-government slogans.
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- Activists divided: For and against Hazare - Aug 16, 2011
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- MPs outraged over Anna's remarks, Lok Sabha adjourned (Lead) - Mar 26, 2012
- HRD ministry preparing citizen's charter - Jan 24, 2012
- NRIs in Canada throw weight behind Anna Hazare - Apr 07, 2011
- Hazare unlikely face of impassioned people's movement: NYT - Aug 19, 2011
- Hazare's attack on PM not Gandhian, says Sibal (Lead) - Aug 14, 2011
- Kolkata intellectuals condemn Hazare arrest - Aug 17, 2011
- Anna should not dictate terms to parliament: Hegde - Aug 26, 2011
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