Tuesday, 27 December 2011India's parliament begins debate Tuesday on a landmark anti-corruption bill, while veteran Indian activist Anna Hazare has started a fresh public hunger strike to protest the legislation.
Despite objections by several opposition parties, India's Congress-led government vows it has enough support to pass the bill during the three-day extended session of the lower house of parliament (the Lok Sobha).
The legislation would create an oversight agency, or lokpal, to investigate and prosecute politicians and civil servants suspected of graft.
But the 74-year-old Hazare says the bill is too weak, insisting the country's federal police – the Central Bureau of Investigation – be placed under jurisdiction of the lokpal.
Hazare began a three-day public fast in Mumbai Tuesday, and has warned that he will take his protest to the capital, New Delhi, if changes are not made.
Several Indian opposition parties, including the country's largest – the Bharatiya Janata Party – have promised to vote against the bill. They say it does not do enough to hold the prime minister, judiciary and lower-level civil servants accountable.
The anti-corruption crusader Hazare held a similar 12-day fast in August to protest an earlier draft of the legislation. The strike helped stoke public anger against what is seen as widespread corruption in Indian society, bringing millions of Indians onto the streets across the country.
Rishi, an organizer of the latest fast, says his group is preparing for tens of thousands of protesters to show solidarity with Hazare in Mumbai.
“The preparations started two days ago. The carpeting area in the front can accommodate 15,000 people who will come here to support it.”
Hazare's critics say his methods go outside the bounds of India's democratic system, saying he is forcing his political views on parliament.
“It is the job of the parliament to make the legislations. We had several rounds of discussions with Shri Anna Hazare and his team,” says India's Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, “We know their viewpoints, but it is for the parliament to decide what would be the final shape of the legislations.”
Hazare, who claims inspiration from Mohandas Gandhi, has so far held three public fasts to help gather public support for his demands.
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Tuesday, 27 December 2011
VOA News
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