By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Sunday rejected Anna Hazare’s token fast for a strong anti-corruption Lokpal bill, terming it “preemptive” and “premature” and an “insult to parliament”.
Congress leaders also criticised the participation of other political parties in the debate.
“I have no hesitation in saying that Anna is insulting parliament,” Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi told reporters.
“The Lokpal bill report has been submitted. There will be debate and decision will be taken. Laws cannot be made at Jantar Mantar,” he added.
Anna Hazare was on a one-day token fast at Jantar Mantar in the capital. The activists have also invited political representatives for a debate on the Lokpal bill which is not being attended by the Congress.
“A law will be passed by parliament, all should respect it. No one is bigger than parliament and constitution. The country is run by constitution, not by slogans,” Alvi said.
He called the Team Anna tactics “politics”, and pointed out links with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“He himself said he will wait till the winter session but then he went to Haryana to oppose the Congress. The debate on Lokpal is not yet over in parliament and they are staging this protest,” he said.
“Anna is saying we will oppose the Congress in all five states, if not politics what is this?”
“I cannot say on whose directions they are working but the RSS has openly supported them and Anna wrote to (L.K.) Advani and said ‘we are thankful for your help’,” Alvi said.
Government spokesperson Ashwani Kumar meanwhile said that the fast was “premature”.
“My own submission is please wait till the parliament debates the bill, the agitation or token fast is completely premature,” Kumar said.
He also questioned Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley’s participation in the debate.
“As far as Mr. Arun Jaitley’s going there is concerned, as the leader of his party in Rajya Sabha, he should have debated it (Lokpal bill) in parliament,” Kumar said.
“A public debate is in a way preempting and prejudging the issue which is really contemptuous to the judgment of parliament. I think these are matters which should be left to parliament,” he said.
Another party leader, Sanjay Nirupam, said Team Anna was trying to find ways to “bother” the Congress.
“They are finding ways to bother the Congress and the government, but the Congress is not bothered,” Nirupam said on a TV channel.