The anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has held the intervention by Rahul Gandhi responsible for the exclusion of the lower bureaucracy from the ambit of the Lokpal bill draft. Anna Hazare has accused Mr. Gandhi of meddling with the Parliamentary Committee which has allegedly caused the Committee to reverse its earlier decision to include Group C staff under the ambit of Lokpal. He has admitted that he does not possess any evidence to prove this allegation against Rahul Gandhi but also stated that there cannot be smoke without any fire when asked by the media.

Anna Hazare was referring to the decision of the panel to exclude Group C employees from the ambit of the Lokpal. Out of the 31 members of the panel, 10 had submitted their dissent which had caused this reversal of decision. Hazare believes that this was due to Rahul Gandhi ’s attempt to sabotage the bill and make it weaker.

Anna Hazare remarked that “The corruption affecting the poor will come down only when the Class 3 and 4 employees, with whom the poor have to interact, are brought within the Lokpal. Corrupt politicians work hand in glove with these employees. How will the poor get justice if the government does not include these categories of employees under the Lokpal? The public will teach [it] a lesson”.

Earlier Mr. Gandhi had proposed to make the Lokpal a constitutional body. Anna Hazare has supported this proposal although he has maintained that there should not be any governmental interference with respect to this body and any such attempt by the government must be quelled.

Anna Hazare has also declared that he will observe an eight day fast at Ramilla Maidan from December 27 in demand of a strong Lokpal bill and stated that the politicians would “hear what the people of the country has to say then.

Anna says Rahul Gandhi does not want a strong Lokpal

Report by Radhalakshmi