By IANS,
New Delhi : Civil society activist Anna Hazare’s right to protest cannot be questioned, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Brinda Karat said Monday, criticising the government for labelling as unconstitutional the fight for a strong Lokpal bill.
“I don’t think it’s an unconstitutional protest,” Karat said, adding that one may not agree with Hazare’s demands but his right to protest could not be questioned.
She said she disagreed with the government’s stance that there cannot be a protest as the Lokpal bill is in parliament.
“This logic, I do not agree with,” she said.
The Congress, she said, was in opposition in some states and its leaders protested if they did not agree with a legislation even if it was introduced in the assembly.
The CPI-M, she said, considered the government draft of the Lokpal bill “very weak” and not geared to tackle corruption. However, it also did not agree with all the formulations of the bill drafted by team Anna.
Union Minister Kapil Sibal had said Sunday that Hazare’s proposed protest was “undemocratic and unconstitutional”.
Delhi Police has denied Hazare permission to hold the fast, scheduled to begin Aug 16, as he had not agreed to certain conditions.