Bill not to cover higher judiciary, says Hazare

As he prepares to leave for Delhi to attend the first meeting of the 10-member Committee of which he and four of his nominees are members along with 5 Cabinet ministers, he said here that the Lokpal should not cover judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court.

The legislation, which would come up for discussion on Saturday in the Committee chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, should cover only the lower judiciary, Hazare said.

“The representatives (of civil society) are all legal experts. They have a very long experience. On the aspect of flexibility, it will be shown at the time of discussion,” he said in response to concerns that the "Jan Lokpal" envisaged by him would cover even the Supreme Court.

Under attack for perceived support to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Hazare said that he never supported any communal or divisive politics and accused “political and criminal” forces of trying to dilute his movement against corruption.

Maintaining that he had only praised the development work of Modi and his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar, Hazare said: “My remarks were misunderstood by some people. I have never supported any communal politics or politics of divide.”

He charged political and criminal forces with trying to dilute his nationwide movement against corruption because they were afraid of the huge support of the common man to the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Such forces, who he did not identify, were trying to create confusion and defame the movement, the Gandhian said.

To a question whether he was the second Mahatma Gandhi, Hazar said: “I don’t deserve even a seat at the feet of Mahatma. He was a very powerful influence in my life.”