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Anna Hazare-led activists on Monday reacted sharply Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for accusing the civil society of trying to undermine democracy and said his statement betrayed a "distorted understanding of democracy and arrogance of power".
The activists said Mukherjee's remarks show a "mistaken understanding" that the people have no role to play in governance and law-making once they have elected their representatives and they have formed a government.
"On January 26, 1950, rickshaw wallas, labourers and poor people became the masters of this country. The Prime Minister and Mukherjee are their servants. It is with the tax paid by them that Mukherjee travels in red-beacon car and runs the air conditioner in his office," activist Arvind Kejriwal told mediapersons.
Mukherjeee had on Sunday attacked Hazare and Ramdev accusing the civil society of working to undermine democracy backed by Bharatiya Janata Party which was using "unconstitutional" methods in the anti-corruption movement.
Kejriwal said the government cannot be a "dictator" for five years on the ground they were elected. "They think that the ruling party is important and no one else. It has become a dictator."
Asked why they were not pulling out of the Lokpal bill joint drafting committee as there was so much of mistrust, Kejriwal said they have to work with this. "At least, we can put on record our dissent note," he said.
"We have written to the prime minister. Why is prime minister afraid of being brought under the Lokpal bill being drafted to check corruption?
You (Dr Manmohan Singh) are one of the most honest prime ministers that the country has had. As of today, the prime minister is covered under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Under that law, any allegation against the PM can be investigated," Kejariwal said.
Taking on Mukherjee for his comments against the civil society that it will become a circus if the committee proceedings are teleivised, lawyer Prashant Bhushan hit back by pointing out that parliamentary proceedings are also telecast.
"Government says that they can't make the proceedings public or have a live telecast of the joint committee meetings as it will become a circus. There is live telecast of Parliament proceedings. Does the Prime Minister and government think it is a circus in Parliament?" Bhushan said.
Kejriwal said the ministers were talking in different voices and they now want to know the stand of government and Congress. "We are confused at the stand taken by Congress and government."
On the allegations that Hazare is getting BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha support for his agitation, Kejriwal termed it as "unfortunate" on the part of a senior minister like Mukherjee to level such charges without evidence.
"I can also raise such baseless allegations but I won't stoop to such levels," he said.
Kejriwal also took potshots at the finance minister for trying to "belittle" the civil society by terming them a crowd of 5-6,000, saying if it was just that number, why the government started talking to them.
"It is this kind of arrogance of those who have got themselves elected in elections which are largely won on money power which is undermining democracy and leading to decisions which are anti-people and opposed by the people," he said.
Bhushan said the government should see what the people want.
Kejriwal also distanced with Swami Agnivesh's reported comments that the government was committed to bring a Lokpal bill. "It is his personal opinion," he said.
Asked why they don't quit the drafting panel, Kejriwal said politics should not affect the discussions inside. "We still hope that the government will change after listening to people's wishes," he said.
On the criticism of their mode of protest, Bhushan said fasting, as Gandhi demonstrated, is the most non-violent and civilised means of expressing oneself and exerting democratic pressure on any government.
"Unfortunately, a party which considers itself as the political legacy of Mahatma Gandhi is reviling civil society movements and fasting as anti-democratic. This shows how far they have gone from Gandhi, his methods and thinking."
"That is why they now talk of countering this civil society movement against corruption. Will they counter it by a movement for corruption?" he said.
Kejriwal said they were of the opinion that opposition parties also should be included in the drafting process.
However, he said almost all parties are indulging in corruption. He also said they will write to political parties detailing their stand on Lokpal bill.
With inputs from Onkar Singh