UPA should leave aside ego and pass Lokpal Bill: Anna Hazare

PUNE: Social activist Anna Hazare today advised the Congress-led UPA government to "shed ego" and get the Jan lokpal bill passed in current session of Parliament.

"I am hopeful the Lokpal bill will come up before Parliament before conclusion of current session by May end. The government should shed ego and think of the country and society (by enacting a strong Lokpal Bill)," he told reporters here.

Hazare, who was in the city in connection with a court case, said he would address a joint rally with Yoga guru Baba Ramdev in Delhi on June 3 to highlight the issue of Janalokpal and black money.

In reply to a question, he said Maharashtra ministers who have been named for irregularities in land allotment by CAG should be sentenced to "life imprisonment" if found guilty in the cases mentioned in the report.

Hazare said he would undertake a tour of Maharashtra from May 1 to mobilise public opinion on the issue of having a strong "Lokayukta" in the state.

Asked about the criticism against his team mate Arvind Kejariwal for using objectionable language against parliamentarians, he said, "I have told them to observe restraint."