Jan Lokpal bill is a mirage: Mahesh Bhatt

MUMBAI: Endorsing RTI activist Aruna Roy's draft version, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt on Tuesday termed the Jan Lokpal Bill proposed by Anna Hazare as a "mirage".

"I am against corruption but this (the Jan Lokpal bill) is a mirage," he said.

"I am against the Jan Lokpal bill and the government's bill. Those who speak against Anna's movement are tagged as corrupt. When I opposed Anna's bill people started using abusive language. This is definitely not a non-violent protest. But just because I don't support you does not mean I support corruption," Bhatt told PTI.

"Anna is called a Gandhian of the 21st century but Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi) believed in decentralisation of power which is not the case with Team Anna. It is a mirage and people must get real," he said.

The filmmaker said he supports a third draft Lokpal bill by Aruna Roy, a member of National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI).

"By forcing everyone to gulp either Anna's bill or the government's bill, aren't we doing what ex-US prez George Bush did when he said, 'You are either with us, or against us'?," Bhatt said.

"We need to fight but in a realistic way. Let us not undermine the parliament and democracy and let Aruna's voice also be heard in this country. We need you to listen to Roy's version of the bill," he added.

Bhatt has been provided police protection as they feel he could be targeted by supporters of Hazare.