Hazare aide says Government is not serious on curbing graft

Social activist Anna Hazare's aide Kumar Vishwas has slammed the Central Government for preparing a weak draft of Lokpal Bill saying it proved the non- seriousness of government in bringing a strong anti-graft law.

Talking to reporters here, Vishwas said that Team Anna would not compromise on the government''s decision of excluding the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from the ambit of Lokpal.

"There is no compromise without the inclusion of CBI under the ambit of Lokpal. The draft bill prepared by the government in August was inclusive of the investigation wing. But a new kind of draft has been brought in after the misdeeds of Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi. This draft does not give Lokpal the power to investigate a case. The government, which earlier seemed committed to fight against graft is now on a back foot after the preparation of the new draft. It seems that the government wants a weak Lokpal without the CBI included in it, which seems like a body without soul," said Vishwas.

Vishwas further said that until the government decided to bring lower bureaucracy under the purview of Lokpal, the country would not get rid of the rampant corruption.

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"The fight against graft had started with an aim of including Group C and D category and CBI. The illegal money seized from a clerk''s possession in Ujjain and Indore proves that there is much corruption among Group C and D employees and until we control the lowest level we cannot curb the corruption at upper level," he added.

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Vishwas also threatened to campaign against the political parties in all five poll-bound including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur and would urge the electorate not to vote the politicians who are against the Hazare''s version of Ombudsman Bill.

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"We will campaign against the political parties which will oppose the passage of a strong Lokpal Bill in the five poll bound states and will educate the people to boycott these political parties as they did not support the formation of a strong anti-graft bill and they should not bring such politicians in state assemblies and Lok Sabha," he added.

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The Union Cabinet had on Tuesday approved a historic bill for creation of the Lokpal with Constitutional status. A new Lokpal Bill will now be introduced in the Lok Sabha today.

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Hazare has, however, written a letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, and threatened to go ahead with his proposed three-day fast from December 27 for a strong Lokpal Bill.u00a0

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