Anna slams govt effort; calls corruption biggest threat

New Delhi, Jun 22: In the first ever press conference by Gandhian and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and his team after the failed talks with the government over the drafting of the proposed LokPal Bill, he went on a tirade against the government and said that the government was not committed to wipe out corruption from the system.

He also questioned the governments decision to exempt the CBI under the LokPal ambit. He also expressed doubts on the investigative abilities of the country's premier investigation agency, the CBI.

Hazare also added that if corrupt people are appointed in the selection committee then the purpose of the Bill is lost.

Hazare also quoted a comment by Telecom Minister, Kapil Sibal who has apparently been quoted as saying in the last Lokpal meeting that that if all authorities are brought under the purview of the LokPal then the government's relevance will be lost.

He also lamented about the top-to-bottom corruption rampant in the system. He added dramatically, if Pakistan was a threat to India from the outside, then the biggest threat within the country is corruption.

He also took a jibe at Kapil Sibal's comment that Anna's team was attempting to run a parallel government. He further stressed his earlier argument that all government offices should fall under the umbrella of the LokPal. Stating that even America has corruption, but it exists only in the top tier of administration, whereas in India the issue is from top to bottom.

He further stated the government's effort to remove the establishment of Lokayukta from each state. He reiterated that his fast against the corruption will not end and will continue his crusade against corruption till his last breath. He also declared that his fast will commence from Aug 16 as planned.

OneIndia News