Hazare seeks interpreter for himself from next meeting

NEW DELHI: Unable to comprehend the deliberations in English in the joint drafting committee on Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has sought an interpreter for himself from the next meeting.

Hazare made the request for an interpreter as he found it difficult to follow closely the proceedings of the joint committee, chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, which were in English.

Hazare has mostly worked in rural Maharashtra and is fluent in Marathi as well as Hindi.

Sources said that his request has been accepted by the government and interpreter would be present from the next meeting scheduled on May two.

Hazare said he would insist on videography of the proceedings of the joint committee meetings from the next meeting onwards.

"We were told the drawbacks of telcasting the meetings of the joint drafting committee. So, we agreed on not telecasting the same," Hazare told a select group of journalists here.

He said the five civil society members who were part of the drafting committee later came to know that only audio recording of the meeting was done.

"What is the harm in videography? I will insist on video recording of the entire proceedings at the next meeting," he said.