PM statement on Anna, a 'bundle of lies': BJP

PM statement on Anna, a 'bundle of lies': BJP
New Delhi


Angered over the arrest of Anna Hazare, Opposition today dismissed as a "bundle of lies" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on the issue, noting that the arrest of the Gandhian has brought people on the streets all over the country.

"This government is not only corrupt but also repressive ...Corruption is a big issue and the way you have acted the people are on the streets," Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj said, initiating a discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha.

Speaker Meira Kumar allowed as a special case a debate on the issue after Prime Minister made a statement detailing the sequence of events that led to action against Hazare.

"The long statement conceals more than it reveals," Swaraj said, adding that protection of civil rights was one of the most important principles in a democratic country and the Opposition parties which are for supremacy of Parliament as also the judiciary, will fight for it.

She lamented that the Congress-led coalition protects the civil rights of separatists like S A R Geelani who had sometime back held a meet here but comes out against elderly Gandhians like Anna Hazare.

She said the way the police acted against Ramdev and his supporters at the Ramlila Maidan here on June 4 showed that this government was not a protector of civil rights.

"The government is shifting the responsibility from its shoulders to that of the Delhi Police Commissioner," Swaraj said, adding that the attitude and the conduct of the government inside and outside Parliament was beyond comprehension.

Swaraj accused the government of setting aside the principle of Parliamentary supremacy and Parliamentary processes when it came to drafting the Lokpal Bill.

"Who resorted to set aside the entire Opposition and talked only to Team Anna?" Swaraj posed, having a dig at the Prime Minister who had spoken about Parliamentary processes in his statement.

She said the civil society told the Opposition that its suggestion to include the other political parties was shot down by the government. She alleged that the government involved the Opposition only when its talks with the civil society group hit a stalemate.

Swaraj also sought to embarrass the Congress saying that its spokesperson had only two days back alleged that Hazare was "steeped in corruption from head to toe".

Sanjay Nirupam (Cong), who opened the innings for his party, asserted that nobody has the right to agitate against Parliament and nobody is above the law.

Dismissing Opposition charges against the Prime Minister and Home Minister, Nirupam said, "Is the PM or HM responsible for enforcing CrPC and IPC? It is the job of Delhi Police."

He maintained that despite so many arrests yesterday, the police had not wielded the lathi on any protestor. Yet the Opposition was alleging that there was Emergency-like situation and violation of civil rights, he lamented.

Nirupam insisted that 34 of the 40 suggestions made by Hazare and his team were accepted by the government but still he wanted to go on a fast.

He alleged that Hazare is fasting against Parliament and norms of the Constitution.