'Anna shouldn't fast again. Such things click only once'

June 17, 2011 11:21 IST

Noted constitutional expert Fali Nariman has advised Gandhian Anna Hazare to refrain from sitting on fast again to press for his demands pertaining to the Jan Lokpal Bill.

"Such things click only once. On the second count, you do not get the same support as you did for the first time," Nariman told rediff.com on Friday.

Asked about the progress made by the joint drafting committee so far, Nariman said it was far from satisfactory.

"The kind of language used by both sides is despicable. You cannot do this. The government has failed to send a strong message to the masses that it is against corruption and that it would not tolerate it further and deal with it with an iron hand," he said.

Talking about the adamant attitude adopted by Hazare's team, the constitutional expert said nobody should have the feeling that they can become an extra-constitutional

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"Such an attitude does not help. Civil society members would have done better by talking to the political parties that are against the government and tried to win over their support instead of passing pathetic comments like terming the Bill as 'Jokepal Bill' (as termed by social activist Arvind Kejriwal)," he said.

The legal luminary wanted to know why the members of the civil society agreed to be a part of the joint drafting committee if they knew that the government would only draft a 'Jokepal Bill'.

"Drafting of the Lokpal business is a serious thing and it should be discussed in that light. The two sides should not enforce a stand-off to prove their point. In fact, the entire exercise so far has exposed both sides. By announcing the second phase of fast, Anna has further complicated the situation. As I said earlier the fasting is good only once," he added.

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Onkar Singh in New Delhi

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Fali Nariman Anna Jokepal Bill Arvind Kejriwal Hazare