Anna Hazare urges Mamata Banerjee to pressurise UPA on Lokpal Bill

Anna Hazare today found fault with government for bringing a separate Citizens' Charter bill saying it was against the assurance given by Parliament to him and urged Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to pressurise UPA on Lokpal issue as she did on FDI in retail.

"Citizens' Charter should not be brought as a separate law. Now that Parliament has made its decision why should a second thought be given. This is not right," he told reporters.

His comments came as Team Anna's Core Committee met here to chalk out its future plans, including the proposed Ramlila Maidan agitation, if a strong Lokpal Bill is not passed in the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

Hazare chaired the meeting which is expected to take a final call on his decision to go on an indefinite fast from December 27.

"Yesterday there was a Cabinet meeting to discuss Lokpal. During the meeting the Cabinet discussed making Citizens' Charter a separate law which I think is completely wrong," he said ahead of the meeting.

"It is wrong because when I was fasting at Ramlila Ground, the Prime Minister had written a letter asking me to end the fast assuring that the three crucial points -- inclusion of Citizens' Charter, lower bureaucracy and state Lokayuktas -- will be part of the Bill and Parliament agreed to it," he said.

Hazare said the decision to make a separate law was not right after Parliament taking a decision on the issue. "This means Parliament was not trusted. It was Parliament that voted for the resolution and then they say Anna has no trust in Parliament. It is they who do not trust Parliament."

Hazare requested "behen" (sister) Mamata Banerjee to "put a good word forward" for Lokpal so that corruption is eradicated to some extent as her decision on FDI protected many small traders.