UPA distances from Anna fast

Dec 12, 2011 - Venkatesh Kesari |

Age Correspondent

New Delhi

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) remained united by refusing to share dais with Anna Hazare in his day-long fast at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Sunday for a stronger Lokpal.
Besides the UPA, supporting parties like the BSP, the RJD and even the RLD, which is on the verge of joining the UPA, distanced themselves from the Team Anna trying to control the political class of the country.
The UPA constituents — the Congress (207 members in the Lok Sabha), the Trinamul Congress (18), the DMK (18), the NCP (9), the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (3) and the Muslim League Kerala State Committee (2) showed no interest in discussing the merits of the Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar. A Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal was optimistic of Trinamul Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to depute somebody by taking a stand similar to the FDI in retail against the Centre.
On the other hand the BSP (21), the Ajit Singh-led RLD (5) and the RJD (4) stayed away from the venue. This means at least 287 Lok Sabha members differ with the Tam Anna on this issue.
Besides, the Shiv Sena (11), the oldest ally of the BJP in the NDA, has been critical of Anna Hazare.
Even Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi on Sunday disapproved Anna Hazare’s methods for his Jan Lokpal. “His methods are not Gandhian because this is now turning into a mere ritual that every time he lands up in Delhi, he goes to Rajghat.
It does not seem to be that the inspiration carry any further than that... Because there is talks about beating up and hitting people,” Mr Tushar Gandhi said.
Meanwhile, the Congress hit back at Team Anna and the Opposition accusing them of putting pressure on Parliament.
Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said Parliament was “paralysed by people sitting on the dais with Hazare and they want to show the world that they are against corruption. “This is timepass for them,” he said.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said, “Laws cannot be made at Jantar Mantar. I have no hesitation in saying that Annaji is insulting Parliament.”
“Whatever has happened at Jantar Mantar is premature and they should have waited for the final shape of Lokpal Bill which would be passed by Parliament,” he said.

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