Anna Hazare threatens another fast from Aug 16

NEW DELHI: The standoff between the government and the group of civil society activists led by Anna Hazare seeking a strong anti-graft legislation worsened on Thursday, with the activists dubbing the government’s version of the bill ‘jokepal’ and the government refusing to cede ground. Hazare, who galvanized popular anger against corruption during a weeklong fast in April, will resume his fast-unto-death on August 16, demanding a strong Lokpal bill.

The joint drafting panel, consisting of representatives from both sides, has made little progress and it emerged on Wednesday that two drafts of the bill will be presented before the Cabinet, which will decide which should be tabled in the Parliament. During successive press meets on Thursday, both sides came out strongly against each other. The civil society members accused the government of scheming for a weak Lokpal bill. “The government’s version is a jokepal bill,” said activist Arvind Kejriwal, who sits on the joint drafting panel.

Hazare said the government hasn’t even considered most of his serious suggestions and he will resume his agitation. When asked if he was afraid of a crackdown similar to the one suffered by the Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev, the Gandhian activist said he was prepared for any eventuality. “We will take lathis , we are ready to take bullets as well,” Hazare said. In a stern presser soon after Hazare’s announcement, the government fielded three senior ministers to defend its stand. The civil society activists are demanding a mirror image of an existing structure , said HRD minister Kapil Sibal .

Home minister Chidambaram said fasting was not the way to draft a bill. Sibal said there was much common ground between the government’s version of the bill and that of the civil society activists , but the latter could not be rigid in their demands. Corporate affairs minister Salman Khurshid said the government’s version of the bill envisaged a more powerful and elaborate structure than any similar ombudsman anywhere in the world. The government’s best hope will be to get a version of the bill into the Parliament, where the radical proposals made by the civil society members will likely come in for opposition from multiple political parties .

Then it will cease to be a Congress party versus the civil society issue and become a political class versus the civil society matter. Congress will be able to deflect some of the criticism over the matter. But a resumption of fast by Hazare could prove to be fatal for the government in an atmosphere where the parade of scams continue unabated and the cloud of suspicion hanging over more ministers.