Lokpal Bill: Govt, Hazare should not make it prestige issue, says Keshavananda
The seer asked Hazare to end his fast and said the Lokpal bill should be withdrawn if the government is serious about rooting out corruption.
By PTI | Updated:
MUMBAI: Keshavananda Bharathi, head of the Edneer Mutt in northern Kerala, on Thursday urged both government and Team Anna to end the stalemate on the Lokpal issue and not to make it a prestige issue.
The seer, whose petition challenging a constitutional amendment on right to property bill led to a landmark decision by the Supreme Court, asked Hazare to end his fast and said the Lokpal bill should be withdrawn if the government is serious about rooting out corruption.
" Anna Hazare is a precious diamond for us and he should remain for several years and lead the country's movement against corruption. We do not have any other leader today of his stature and nature. He is a true Gandhian," the 70-year- old seer said.
Bharathi said, "Taking this into consideration, if the government is really serious in rooting out corruption, they should immediately with draw the weak Lokpal bill of the Government. Please do not stand on personal prestige. "I would also personally request Anna to withdraw the fast as we need him. Today the entire country is behind him," the seer said.
The pontiff said, "As I did years ago, the Anna team should take the legal course and immediately move the Supreme Court and get a stay on the proposed Lokpal bill".
Bharathi said the government should urge the Supreme Court to immediately form a special court to deal with only corruption cases with a time frame of six months and impose stringent jail punishment on culprits. "The government should also immediately restrict all the discretionary powers of the ministers, MPs and bureaucrats. This itself will reduce the corruption," the seer said.
Bharathi, a noted scholar and writer, is in Mumbai at the Shankara Mutt, Matunga.
The seer, whose petition challenging a constitutional amendment on right to property bill led to a landmark decision by the Supreme Court, asked Hazare to end his fast and said the Lokpal bill should be withdrawn if the government is serious about rooting out corruption.
" Anna Hazare is a precious diamond for us and he should remain for several years and lead the country's movement against corruption. We do not have any other leader today of his stature and nature. He is a true Gandhian," the 70-year- old seer said.
Bharathi said, "Taking this into consideration, if the government is really serious in rooting out corruption, they should immediately with draw the weak Lokpal bill of the Government. Please do not stand on personal prestige. "I would also personally request Anna to withdraw the fast as we need him. Today the entire country is behind him," the seer said.
The pontiff said, "As I did years ago, the Anna team should take the legal course and immediately move the Supreme Court and get a stay on the proposed Lokpal bill".
Bharathi said the government should urge the Supreme Court to immediately form a special court to deal with only corruption cases with a time frame of six months and impose stringent jail punishment on culprits. "The government should also immediately restrict all the discretionary powers of the ministers, MPs and bureaucrats. This itself will reduce the corruption," the seer said.
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Bharathi, a noted scholar and writer, is in Mumbai at the Shankara Mutt, Matunga.
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