Hazare said the draft of the bill that was approved by the Cabinet was “extremely” weak and “meaningless” apart from being ineffective that the corrupt would not be afraid of the watchdog and the poor would never get justice and the draft is too weak to deer the corrupt.
“However, I and my team are determined to go ahead with the indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Aug. 16,” Hazare said.
Warning that the federal government should not take him for granted, Hazare said: “The people of this country are totally convinced about the need for an effective Lokpal and they will support me. Now there will no turning back and I will continue the fight till my last breath of life.”
Hazare claimed that the draft passed by the Cabinet had included only top officials above the rank of deputy secretary in the ambit of Lokpal.
“Our demand and stand is that we want all government officials from the lowest to the highest level in the ambit. It’s a known fact that elected representatives are hand in gone with low ranking officials when it comes to corruption. If these officials are not brought under Lokpal, there will be no control over the elected representatives. What’s the use of having such a weak arrangement? It is as good as having nothing,” Hazare said.
The leading social activist criticized the government for excluding the prime minister and conduct of members of parliaments in the House from the Lokpal ambit.
“We see MPs accepting money for asking question in the Parliament. All political parties are only interested in protecting their own interests. They are least bothered about the interests of the nation or the people,” Hazare said.
Meanwhile, reports from New Delhi said that the Delhi police have issued orders to prevent Hazare from sitting on an indefinite hunger strike. Hazare is likely to approach the Supreme Court against the Delhi Police orders. The other option Hazare is considering on whether to launch “civil disobedience” and court arrest on Aug. 16.
