Government has cheated over Lokpal bill: Anna Hazare
July 28th, 2011 - 6:37 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Social activist Anna Hazare Thursday accused the government of cheating him and the entire nation by clearing the draft of the Lokpal bill that excludes the clauses the civil society has been fighting for.
“We said that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should be brought under the ambit of the Lokpal bill. Also we discussed that all states should have Lokayukta (ombudsman). It was decided that all these things will be put forward while discussing the bill in the cabinet, but today we found that these were removed,” Hazare told reporters.
“This is cheating — not just with Anna Hazare but with the entire nation. If states don’t have Lokayukta, then corruption will never end. So, we will sit on a fast in Jantar Mantar from Aug 16 on… I will fast until my last breath,” he added.
The union cabinet Thursday approved the draft of the anti-corruption Lokpal bill, to be presented in the monsoon session of parliament beginning Aug 1.
The draft bill excludes from its ambit the prime minister, the chief justice of India and members of parliament for their actions inside the house, informed sources said.
“The government wrote to every chief minister, asking for their opinion on the Lokpal bill and all Congress-led states said that whatever the high command says they will agree. So this is cheating,” Hazare alleged.
A 10-member committee, comprising five ministers and five civil rights leaders, was set up in April to draft the bill, but the two sides prepared separate versions following disagreements over key issues.
- Civil society upset over 'sarkari' Lokpal (Lead) - Jul 28, 2011
- Cabinet clears draft Lokpal bill; angry Team Anna protests (Second Lead) - Jul 28, 2011
- Cabinet okays Lokpal bill amid flak, Hazare to fast (Roundup) - Jul 28, 2011
- People in Sibal's constituency want Jan Lokpal bill: Kejriwal (Lead) - Aug 01, 2011
- Lokpal debate collapses amid acrimony, Hazare to fast (Roundup) - Jun 16, 2011
- Anna slams Lokpal bill, vows fast from Aug 16 (Second Lead) - Aug 11, 2011
- Thousands join anti-graft crusade as Hazare begins fast (Roundup) - Apr 05, 2011
- All-party meeting called on Lokpal as Hazare targets Congress (Roundup) - Dec 11, 2011
- Lokpal bill comes to parliament, BJP, Team Anna protest (Round-up) - Aug 04, 2011
- Not holding government to ransom with fasts, says Bhushan - Jun 17, 2011
- Lokpal bill: Key differences between government, civil society - Aug 04, 2011
- Prohibitory orders to be imposed ahead of Anna fast - Jul 29, 2011
- Team Anna urges people to protest 'weak' Lokpal bill - Dec 09, 2011
- Thousands join anti-graft crusade as Hazare begins fast (Intro Roundup) - Apr 05, 2011
- Cabinet approves draft Lokpal bill - Jul 28, 2011
Tags: ambit, anna hazare, cbi, central bureau of investigation, chief justice of india, chief minister, civil rights leaders, clauses, corruption, disagreements, draft bill, last breath, mantar, member committee, members of parliament, monsoon session, New Delhi, ombudsman, social activist, union cabinet