Hazare attacks Rahul

Hazare attacks Rahul, says FDI row aimed at stalling Lokpal

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Agencies

Posted: Dec 02, 2011 at 1911 hrs IST

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Ralegan Siddhi, Maharashtra Bringing Rahul Gandhi in the line of fire, Anna Hazare today alleged Congress might have taken a U-turn on the contentious issues of lower bureaucracy and CBI in Lokpal under instructions of the young leader. He claimed the government was delaying a resolution on FDI to avoid passing the Jan Lokpal Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

Hazare launched a scathing attack on the government accusing it of dishonouring an assurance given by Parliament and later by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Lokpal would include the lower bureaucracy, the Citizen's Charter and state Lokayuktas.
“I think there is no coordination in this government. The Standing Committee took a decision (on the inclusion of Group C employees in Lokpal). I think after this decision was taken, Rahul Gandhi must have said... no, no, no.”
“They operate under instructions given by him. I think it is Rahul Gandhi who has instructed them not to include Group C and D employees under Lokpal. This is my guess. If you don't include this, the public will teach you a lesson,” he told reporters.
Hazare's comments came a day after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Lokpal decided against the inclusion of Group C employees under the ombudsman and to have a new set-up to select the CBI director as against its earlier decision.
Asked why the government was not resolving the FDI imbroglio to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament, Hazare said he suspected this was deliberate as the govenrment “doesn't want the Bill to be passed”.
Describing the move as a “betrayal of the entire country,” Hazare said, “On one hand, the Prime Minister says corruption is to be curbed but on the other, you say Group C and D staff will not be brought under the Lokpal ambit.”
For incorporating these provisions, you do not need to spend any extra money or have additional personnel, he said.
“We have said from the beginning that Lokpal should be an autonomous institution. Today, the CBI is under the government's control. We are saying there should be autonomy, that the government should not have control (over CBI),” he said. On Gandhi's demand for conferring Constitutional status to Lokpal, Hazare said he was not against the idea but warned against government interference.

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