As Team Anna gears up for the three-day fast in Mumbai, the Centre on Saturday said the Lokpal Bill cannot be passed by “someone on the streets or playgrounds” and it would deal with the issue with “an iron hand”.
“A team of five members cannot pressure the government on passing a bill. A bill can be passed only in Parliament.
“After voting Parliament alone can pass the bill, and not someone on the streets or a playground. It is not proper for somebody to speak about the bill outside the Parliament,” Union minister of state in the Prime Minister’s office (PMO) V. Narayanasamy told reporters at the city airport.
Asked about the decision announced by a few political outfits to show black flag to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he visits Tamil Nadu on December 25, the minister said that the protesters had taken a wrong decision and they need to drop it.
“Whatever the Prime Minister has done is perfectly right. Some people have been spreading rumours that Dr Singh and Congress are favouring Kerala which is totally baseless,” he added.
About the Mullaiperiyar issue, Mr Narayanasamy said that both the states should sort out the issue in an amicable way.
Kerala has been insisting that the dam be replaced with a new one citing safety concerns, while Tamil Nadu has strongly opposed it.