According to the parliamentary standing committee’s draft recommendations on Lokpal, a majority of issues that were a bone of contention between Team Anna and the government still remain. DNA finds out how citizens feel about the government delaying the process of passing the Lokpal Bill in Parliament.
We have booked Ramlila grounds, in case govt goes back on its word
At this moment, we do not want to jump to any conclusion. The Parliament in August had passed the sense of the House and agreed to include three main points of Anna’s draft in the government’s Lokpal Bill. The law and judiciary’s standing committee has not finished its deliberations and submitted the same to the Parliament. Once the resolution is tabled before the Parliament, we would come to know about the intentions of the government. We have booked the Ramlila grounds in advance, in case the government goes back on its word. We will start an agitation or else we will celebrate the
people’s victory there.
Kiran Bedi, core committee member, Team Anna
The UPA government is heading on a suicidal path
It is very sad that the government has betrayed the nation and its people by not passing the Lokpal Bill envisioned by Team Anna. I would like to remind people what social activist Anna Hazare has often quoted in his countless addresses and interviews that the present government has a doctorate in corruption and others are just graduates. It is a great opportunity for the government to pass the Lokpal Bill and restore the right cultural image of India as a non-corrupt and progressive democratic country on the international level.
The UPA government is heading on a suicidal path by ignoring the bill and underestimating the real power of the citizens especially the educated, knowledgeable and highly spirited youth. If this time people take to the streets, the movement will be far bigger than the freedom struggle of 1947 era. If at all any violence erupts during this movement in any part of our country, the present government should be held responsible. I hope the government realises that the public is fed up with corruption and will fight for justice till the very end. The UPA government shouldget ready to tackle the second most powerful freedom struggle.
—Krishna Yadav, (retd) Indian Air Force Sergeant
60% of corruption in govt system will be wiped out if Jan Lokpal is passed
We want the Jan Lokpal drafted by Anna’s team to be passed in the Parliament and not the Lokpal crafted by the present ruling UPA-II government. The public feels that the government is not ready to accept the Jan Lokpal. But I am sure it will bow down to the nation’s demand and shall ultimately pass the bill in the
Parliament in this winter session.
My objection is that if they can get NGOs and media in the purview of Lokpal then why not the prime minister, MPs, MLAs and all the other government officials. Why is the government also not accepting the right to recall and right to reject proposal? If this happens, then 60% of corruption that exists in the government system will be wiped out. We must clean the system starting from top to lower level.
—Shekhar Mundada, director, Adcraft Outdoor Media
The citizens are eager to uproot the Congress power once and for all
The government has just been playing games with Annaji and his team. Fortunately, the tables have turned on the government. The whole affair resembles the cricket match depicted in the popular Bollywood movie Lagaan, wherein the villagers are forced to play thematch and surprisingly they win.
The naive government has put up a brave face, unaware of the tenacity of the countrymen. It is just a matter of time, when the government will face resistance for standing against the Jan Lokpal Bill. The citizens are eager to uproot the Congress from power once and for all.
In fact, Anna Hazare had withdrawn his 12-day fast only after prime minister Manmohan Singh had given in writing an assurance of including four points in the government’s version of Lokpal Bill and passing the same during the winter session of the Parliament, yet it has failed to act.
—Tushar Parekh, entrepreneur
The entire nation has risen in unison to support the Lokpal Bill
There is every indication that the government is heading in the direction of betraying the nation. It is again dilly-dallying on the Lokpal Bill, giving out strong signals of dubious and evil intentions. It now seems evident that efforts are being made to protect the plunderers of public wealth.
Going against its promise, the government has failed to introduce the Lokpal Bill which is of much greater national importance compared to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Bill that is being currently debated in the Parliament. The entire nation has risen in unison to support the Lokpal Bill as the country’s ‘aam admi’ is suffering due to the corrupt system.
Instead, the government has chosen to play a devious game of ‘catch me if you can’. People have seen through this game and will give a befitting reply through the ballot in every election to come.
—Girish Deshpande, spokesperson, Professionals Party of India
A strong Jan Lokpal Bill will set a new standard for democracy
The representatives we choose to govern our nation represent the common man’s will. The country’s public is fed up of various scams involving public funds and is demanding a strong law against corrupt leaders. However, the political will to curb corruption is not equally strong among leaders compared to what the common man feels. It is the common man who is the epicentre of democracy and our representatives should remember this. Today, the whole nation is demanding a decisive action against corruption. A strong Jan Lokpal Bill will set a new standard for democracy and people all over the world will look at us as a model country where the will of people is respected and represented.
—Aniket Deshmukh, citizen
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