Government needs to hear civil society's voices: BJP

However, the party said no radical changes were needed in the Constitution in addressing its concerns. Disagreeing with the perception that the rise of people like Anna Hazare was “extra-constitutional,” BJP national spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said: “We need to engage with people like them as any vibrant democracy could not shut out citizens’ voices.”

However, in addressing their concerns, no radical changes or overhaul to the Indian Constitution were required as “it is a fantastic document”, with ample flexibility in tune with a vast, diverse society, and much will depend on how “we work with our Constitution.”

Speaking in a seminar on “Revisiting Centre-State Relations” organised by the Nani Palkivala Foundation in Chennai and responding to a rally of questions from the audience on the issue, she said the party hoped that the Jan Lokpal Bill pressed for by Annaji would become a reality.

At the same time, during extensive discussions between senior BJP leaders and Team Anna amid the fast that took place in Delhi, the party brass had told the activists to reconsider some of the provisions of their Jan Lokpal Bill as those provisos were not practical and did not jell with the basic spirit of the Indian Constitution, she said.

Nirmala also took the occasion to clarify that the BJP had moved away from its mother organisation Bharatiya Jan Sangh’s long-held position for a strong Centre. The BJP today “realises that the federal aspirations need to be addressed,” she said.

The party has recognised that “greater participation of citizens through the various states in public policy making” was crucial to a participatory democracy, she said. The present Constitution “is marvellously flexible enough to meet all these aspirations,” she stressed.

Swami Agnivesh may be arrested

Chandigarh, DHNS: Former Team Anna member Swami Agnivesh is likely to be arrested for allegedly hurting the sentiments of Hindus over his comments on the Amarnath Yatra in May this year. Praveen Tayal, a human rights and social activist, had filed a complaint against Agnivesh.  “Agnivesh could be arrested anytime soon,” said sources. A criminal case against the Arya Samaj leader whom Team Anna eventually accused of being a government insider was registered in May this year after Agnivesh allegedly dubbed Amarnath Yatra a “pakhand and dhong” (fraud). Agnivesh will be produced before a court in Haryana on Monday. An additional district and sessions court had dismissed his plea for anticipatory bail.