Speaking at function, Ajit said he was hopeful of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of which his party the Nationalist Congress Party is a constituent, of taking appropriate decision on fighting corruption.
Ajit admitted that the people of the country are frustrated with the amount of corruption prevailing in the system. "There's no doubt that we need a strong Lokpal Bill to tackle this menace. We will have to see how we can accommodate a strong Lokpal Bill in our Constitution and the system of Parliamentary democracy."
The deputy chief minister criticized Hazare for giving a call to youths to court arrest if government fails to pass the Lokpal Bill by Aug. 30 and said that that though each and every one in the country has a right to express his views and make demands, calling upon youth to undertake "fill prison" protest is improper. I hope the UPA government will take the proper decision on the Lok Pall Bill, suggesting that the UPA government would start discussions with the civil society groups. "Many a time we get a way out of a logjam only when one sits down to talk keeping aside differences. In Maharashtra, we have settled many issued and tackled many protests by Hazare including the movement for the Right to Information Act," Ajit said.
Meanwhile, as senior Indian Administrative Service(IAS) officer in Maharashtra chief minister's office told Arab News, that the move of the federal government to rope in a low ranking IAS officer Umesh Chandra Sarangi, presently Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to convince Hazare to break his fast and hold talks with the government again on the Lokpal Bill would not succeed as Hazare is in no mood to listen to anyone. The government tried to open back channel negotiations with Hazare by asking Sarangi to impress upon Hazare to break the fast and withdraw the agitation on the Lokpal Bill.
