Jan Lokpal Bill: Government need not be impatient on peaceful protests, says Chouhan

BHOPAL: In the background of nationwide protests in support of the Jan Lokpal Bill, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said though Parliament was supreme in the country, the government should not have grown "impatient" with the Civil Society.

"I accepted that the civil society is not above the Parliament but they have a right to express their views and there is no need for the government to become impatient on the issue. Despite that if it (government) becomes impatient on the issue, then it is dangerous for democracy," Chouhan said at an event here.

The chief minister maintained that root cause of corruption lies in various elections being held in the country round-the-year.

Chouhan said the Election Commission should hold both Assembly and Parliament elections simultaneously in the entire country once in five years and make their full tenure mandatory.

He further said that Prime Minister and Chief Ministers be elected directly by people.

Attacking those who challenge anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare to contest polls, Chouhan said "whether Mahatma Gandhi, Vinoba Bhave or Jai Prakash Narayan ever contested any elections?".

Anna is awakening people on the menace of corruption and for that there is no need for him to contest any polls, he added.

Taking a jibe at the Centre, the chief minister said to prevent Hazare from holding fast, the government has become "extra-fast" but people have become "super-fast" to nail its plans.

Meanwhile, rallies and protests continued on the second consecutive day in support of the independent ombudsman and Hazare across the state, including the state capital.