Shabana Azmi lauds Anna for raking up issue

Asserting that the right to formulate laws rests with Parliament, actor and social activist Shabana Azmi on Friday said Anna Hazare has brought the issue of corruption to the centre stage.

“I believe that the most important contribution of Anna Hazare is that he has brought the issue of corruption to the centre stage and that is why it is worth praising him because it is an important issue. We must remember that in a democracy, the right to formulate laws rests with Parliament. The civil society should merely set agendas,” Azmi told mediapersons during the Lakme Fashion Week, 2011.

“It’s very clear that in any democratic country the most important thing is people and their take on any issue. In a democracy, people should be active participants rather than passive recipients. Having said that, we have to give it to Anna Hazare as he has managed to pull the issue of corruption,” Shabana said.

However, being a former Rajya Sabha member, Shabana understands that regardless of the way Hazare’s supporters laid siege to the capital and other pockets of the country on his arrest, it was ultimately Parliament, which is to take the final call.

“It’s a very serious issue but we must never forget that ultimately legislation is the business of Parliament and it’s Parliament which would ultimately pass the Bill,” she said.