New Delhi, April 04: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday extended support to veteran social activist Anna Hazare’s indefinite “hunger strike against corruption”, and said there was need to enact the Jan Lokpal bill in parliament.
The Congress admitted there was differences of opinon on the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill but said “harmonising opinion” was part of the democratic process.
Former BJP president Rajnath Singh said in a statement that the government lacked strong will to tackle corruption and people wanted decisive action.
He said the reaction of people like Anna Hazare reflects the deep pain and anguish of the common man in the existing situation.
Calling for enactment of Jan Lokpal bill in parliament, Singh said a powerful institution like Lokpal can provide a mechanism for effective and credible deterrence against corruption.
Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said the party has always stood for transparency and accountability and has enacted Right to Information legislation.
Agreeing there was difference of opinion on the Lokpal bill, he said it should not be treated as dissent.
Asked about Hazare’s fast, Tewari said India was a free country and if anybody wants to fast, he cannot be stopped.
Hazare Monday said he is starting a “fast unto death” to press for the demand to involve civil society in formulation of the anti-graft Lokpal (ombudsman) Bill.
The Jan Lokpal Bill calls for setting up Lokpal and Lokayuktas (in states) independent of government control. In the activists’ version, investigation in any case will have to be completed in one year, and punishment would be a jail term of minimum 5 years and maximum of life imprisonment.
The government’s version recommends a prison term of minimum 6 months and maximum 7 years as punishment for corruption.
–Agencies