By IANS,
New Delhi : Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Sunday termed as unconstitutional Anna Hazare’s demand for a strong anti-graft law and said the social activist cannot go on an indefinite fast on the issue.
No one can force parliament to make a law according to his wishes, he added.
Stating that rules do not allow for a suicide, Mukherjee said that “always it has been the practice that protest, it must be definite, it cannot be indefinite”.
“It is the responsibility of the administration to look into this aspect. As the prime minister, in his response to Anna Hazare, has clearly pointed out that police authorities have exercised their power vested in them as per the laws,” he said.
“If he (Hazare) has any complaint against it, he should make a complaint.”
Mukherjee noted that the much larger issue was that of the competent authority to make laws.
“So far as the constitution is concerned, it (the right to draft laws) is not given to any individual. So far as list one, laws made under the constitution, parliament and parliament alone is the competent authority to make laws. So far the list two and concurrent list, it is the state assemblies who have to make laws,” Mukherjee said.
“Nobody can compel that you will have to draft a law as per my desire. It is for parliament to decide. What Mr. Anna Hazare is doing is challenging the constitution’s authority, which is not acceptable,” he said.