Maneka criticises PM’s statement on Hazare’s arrest

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BJP MP Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement over Anna Hazare's arrest and said she does not believe that the standing committee on Lokpal would incorporate the Gandhian's views on it.

A day after her son and BJP MP Varun Gandhi said he plans to introduce Hazare's version of Lokpal Bill as a private member's bill in Parliament, Maneka alleged the government was trying to brand the Gandhian as a "traitor".

"The Prime Minister has said Anna Hazare could have appeared before the standing committee and given his point of view. But the Jan Lokpal Committee, in which Hazare and his team members are members, did not incorporate any of their inputs.

"Therefore, there is no reason to believe that the government would incorporate their inputs and change the government's version of the bill," Maneka told reporters outside Parliament House.

She alleged the Government was trying to bring a "weak" Lokpal.

The former union minister also slammed the government for denying Hazare and his supporters their democratic rights to stage a peaceful protest.

"In a democracy, he has every right to protest. He is not threatening government. He was simply sitting on a hunger strike. If the Prime Minister concedes that he has the right to protest, then conditions cannot be laid," she said.

"To treat electors so shamefully does not speak well for our democracy," she said.