Let all parties decide if our draft is unconstitutional, says Anna Hazare

Replying to criticism that he was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal Bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution, social activist Anna Hazare yesterday said all parties should decide if that was the case

Replying to criticism that he was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal Bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution, social activist Anna Hazare yesterday said all parties should decide if that was the case.

"We have decided to approach leaders of all political parties and show them the government's draft and our draft.



We will ask them to study the two drafts and let us know if they find anything that is against the Constitution in our draft. We would like to know if our draft is an attempt at forming a parallel government," Hazare said.

The Gandhian said civil society members would ask the leaders of all parties to give their opinion on the duo drafts and how to go about eradicating corruption in our society.

"We will meet them and tell them to decide after reading our draft, so that no one says later that they were not shown the draft."

Yesterday's meeting of Lokpal Bill drafting committee member Arvind Kejriwal and former top cop Kiran Bedi with senior BJP leader LK Advani was a part of this process, he said.

Asked about Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh's reported 'warning' to him not to fast again else he may get the "same treatment" as Baba Ramdev, Hazare said, "If the party is endangered, people (like Digvijay Singh) are bound to speak".

"They are bound to make attempts to checkmate the agitation and ensure that people do not participate," he said.

Asked if he was open to discussions on stumbling blocks in the draft, Hazare said, "I have often said that issues could be resolved through discussions. I told this to those in the government. That you sit with us, be ready for discussions."

"Some people say that we are going outside the purview of the Constitution, looking at our draft. I want to tell them that we are not acting against the spirit of the Constitution," Hazare said.

"We are demanding that the same level of autonomy given to the Election Commission and Information Commissioner be given to Lokpal, who should be given powers of inquiry. What stops you from empowering Lokpal with powers of investigation," he said.

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