By IANS,
New Delhi : Social activist Anna Hazare has reiterated that the Aug 15 deadline for passage of the Jan Lokpal Bill was set in stone, warning that failure to adhere to it will lead to mass protests.
“Even the government has admitted that it is realistic for parliament to deliberate and take a decision on the JLB by the 15th August deadline set by me. Thus failure of this deadline will invite mass protests by the people,” said Hazare in a statement issued Monday.
The statement was apparently released to clarify reports in the media that the Aug 15 deadline was flexible, and that Anna Hazare was ready to accept any decision of parliament.
“There is also confusion being created in the media through government sources that the civil society has climbed down in the first Joint Drafting Committee meeting held on April 16th, 2011,” he said.
He asserted that the civil society members have not climbed down from their position to bring the prime minister, cabinet ministers and judiciary under the purview of Lokpal.
Hazare said that if political parties vote against the Jan Lokpal Bill they will “eventually be hurting their popularity and exposing their malafide intentions”.
“In such an event, we will again take to streets,” he added.
The veteran Gandhian said that people needed to monitor parliament’s decision in a functioning democracy.
“This is especially true as the same parliament has failed to pass a Lokpal Bill for the past 42 years. In addition, significant number of elected representatives have used money, muscle power, election fraud, misinformation in the media, etc. to win seats, undermining the sanctity and credibility of the parliamentary system. Therefore, we the citizens have to ensure that a strong Lokpal Bill is passed,” he said.