Govt committing fraud on democracy: Hazare, rejects Centre's appeal to end fast

Anna Hazare today rejected Centre's appeal to end his fast--which entered the third day--for speedy passage of Lokpal Bill in Parliament, calling its attitude on the issue "a fraud on democracy".

As Government prepared to bring the Lokpal bill for consideration in Rajya Sabha soon, 76-year-old Hazare shot off a letter to the Prime Minister's Office, saying he will not end his fast till the bill is passed.

"The attitude of the government on the bill is very irresponsible and is a fraud on democracy," Hazare said in his letter addressed to Minister of State in the PMO V Narayanasamy.

"I won't end my fast till the bill is passed," he declared, adding, "I am ready to make the supreme sacrifice for the country."

The anti-corruption campaigner's letter came on a day when Union Minister Harish Rawat said Government will bring the Lokpal bill for consideration in Rajya Sabha on Monday.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said earlier in the day that the government will list the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow as it was its "priority".

"The Winter Session of Parliament has started and the bill is not on the agenda. This clearly means that the government is deceiving me and the people of the country," Hazare said in the letter.

"It is due to this deceit that the people have taught you a lesson in the recent Assembly polls in four states," he said and warned that if the bill did not come in the ongoing session people would teach a lesson to Congress party and UPA government in the Lok Sabha polls too.

Hazare's letter came shortly after Narayanasamy, appealing to the social activist to end his fast, said unless Parliament was allowed to function passage of the bill was difficult.

"Anna Hazare is a veteran person. He had written three letters to the PM, and, on his behalf, I replied to him. I told him about the status of the bill. I appeal to Anna Hazare on government's behalf to end his fast because he knows the parliamentary procedure. Until and unless Parliament comes to order, passage of the bill is difficult," he said.

Hazare also hit out at BJP for not "raising its voice" to pressure the government to bring the bill for discussion in the Rajya Sabha.

Addressing a gathering at the Yadav Baba temple, the Gandhian said he had written to BJP leader Arun Jaitley asking why he didn't press for discussion on Lokpal Bill for the past one year in Parliament.

"Despite being the Leader of Opposition, why you had not made efforts to pressurise the government to bring the bill, which is stuck for past one year just for discussion," Hazare said.