Hazare: Manmohan Singh breaks silence, sings same Cong tune

New Delhi, Aug 17: Prime Minister has finally broken his silence on the tumultuous situation that the government is facing regarding the Anna Hazare movement. PM Manmohan Singh opened his speech stating, "It's my painful duty to report to this house certain events that took place yesterday in New Delhi."

He commented in his first statement after the headline grabbing events that played out in the capital yesterday. Singh said that Anna was arrested after he openly declared that he was going to defy the law. He said that the Delhi Police was compelled to refuse permission for his proposd fast at Jai Prakash Narain Park from Aug 17.

Singh stated that Anna had persisted in his want to present the Jan Lokpal Bill in Parliament. He added, "Delhi police informed the applicants since they have refused the conditions, permission will not be granted. Delhi police wanted them to sign an undertaking. On August 15 the organizers refused to accept 6 of the conditions."

In a further justifying of Anna's movement, he called the movement "misleading".

On the other worrying trend of disrupting of Parliament by Opposition and other dissenting voices, PM requested all parties to ensure Parliament functions smoothly. On the contentious issue of Team Anna wanting to frame the Jan Lokpal Bill, the PM said, "I am not aware of any constitutional principles that allows anyone else other than Parliament to frame laws."

He, however said that a functional democracy must allow multiple voices and commented that in the presence of adoption of the bill, there will be opportunity for Anna Hazare and others and the parliament to raise objections.

His statements raised quite a furore among Opposition members who were also irked by the fact that the PM left the lower house and demanded that he be part of the ensuing debate on the issue.

OneIndia News