New Delhi: Although the Central Govt has come down from superior stance against social reformer Anna Hazare, when thousands of Indians are supporting now on 4th day of his fast for Truth and against national wide corruption, and agreed to prepare a draft Jana Lokpal Bill shortly, the chairmanship of this drafting committee has been a bone of contention between PM’s men and Hazare’s followers like Agnivesh and Kejriwal.
The Central Govt has agreed to take on five civilian leaders on the committee, which has 5 ministers or politicians as members. But the Govt does not want Hazare to lead this committee, and even Hazare has declined to preside over it, but his followers are adamant that he should chair the vital committee. The Centre does not want people’s representatives to bow their heads before the elected representatives named in the Committee! There is tug of war.
Some persons want Swami Agnivesh, who lives next door to Jantar Mantar at South India Club, to be on the committee. But the Hazare camp is not specific on its 5 members. Karnataka Lokayukta Justice N. Santhosh Hegde, who is a retired judge of Supreme Court and has more powers than some other Ombudsmen in some states, is eminently suited to head the proposed Bill drafting committee, but Hazare has to accept him. Hegde is busy in making a report on illegal mining by some companies of Karnataka.
Meanwhile younger generations are rising like high tides of Hazare, to sweep the corrupt UPA govt. at the Centre. Some others want Hazare to go round the country canvassing against corruption in public life, instead of holding an indefinite fast to death. But Hazare is not afraid to die, he has assured everyone.
The Lokpal Bill was introduced 8 times since 1968 in Lok Sabha, only to stumble out, from Indira Gandhi down to ManMohan Singh, with no support from greedy MPs.