Received a short list by email of GOI tyranny worth reading:
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We have seen the extreme reluctance of Govt in tackling corruption and all out attempt in putting down the IAC movement right from day one. I am just listing all the diversions and divisionary tactics that the Govt has deployed so far :
1. They first call team Anna “who are you” and we will not listen to you;
2. then they said you are unelectable and hence have no right to speak;
3. then came various corruption charges against team Anna (the famous statement from Manish Tiwari addressing Anna (aap to sar se paun tak bhrastachar me doobe ho);
4. then notices and charges against Kiran and Arvind;
5. then came statement that Lokpal is not going to solve corruption but we need much more (nobody denies this but please do one thing first and then think of other changes);
6. then came complete disregard and ridiculing the findings of survey done by team Anna (where 90% – 95% of people said that they support Jan Lokpal bill). Kapil Sibbal taunted IAC that he is thankful to them that it was not 100% (it shows complete disrespect to what people want);
7. then came rejection of most of the points raised by team Anna in the drafting committee;
8. then came attempt to create confusion that there are many versions of Lokpal suggested by other groups;
9. then came claim that Parliament is supreme (yes it is supreme for legislation but the legislation should be as per people’s wishes and MPs are sent there to represent people’s wishes but they had closed their eyes and ears with regard to what people want);
10. then came statement from PM that we (Govt) do not have a magic wand (people were asking to enact only a strong Lokpal and not play a magic wand to eliminate all corruption);
11. then came statement that Anna’s fast is an insult to Parliament (MPs are insulting Parliament more (and from inside) by their unruly behavior, waving of notes, tearing of papers, holding Parliament to ransom by not letting it function, no debate on crucial bills of public interest, not attending Parliament at all – effectively making it worse than a fish market);
12. then came lofty claim that bill making is the prerogative of Parliament only and no one else can tell them what to do (team Anna never said that they will pass the bill but they were only saying this is what will work and this is what people want, please take it and make it a law);
13. then came the ugly scene of mid night arrest and disruption of baba Ramdev’s fast;
14. then came refusal to provide land (Jantar Mantar) to team Anna for fast in Aug and passing the buck to Delhi’s local police (even a child cannot believe that Govt did not know);
15. then came arrest of Anna in an attempt to scuttle the movement and then eating humble pie by unconditionally releasing him subsequently;
16. then came delay in holding negotiation with team Anna for 7 – 8 days during fst in Aug (hoping that the movement will die down);
17. then came various confusing and attempt to fool team Anna (on day 11 and 12 of fast in Aug) by coming with various drafts with open or misleading statements from Govt;
18. then came debate in Parliament and sense of house with abrupt closure of house (within 5 second of reading the sense of the house). It was apparent that the Govt was doing it under pressure and did not want any uncomfortable question (whether it is a resolution, sense of house, any possible amendment to it by any MP);
19. then came disregard of both (a) sense of the house and (b) explicit letter by PM to team Anna in the recommendation of standing committee of Parliament;
20. then came the claim that bills can only be passed by Parliament (ie by MPs). A common refrain of MPs have been sovereignty of Parliament and their so called right of making bill. It needs reminding them that it is their duty and not right to make law. They have been elected by citizens, sent to Parliament and given the responsibility of formulating policies and making laws as per people’s wishes and not their wishes. Therefore, it is their duty to listen to what people want and refusal to listen to people’s wishes is disrespect to constitution who has given Parliament this responsibility.
21. Now comes back the charge that Anna is an RSS agent.
There has not been a single instance that I remember where Congress or any of its allies have spoken in favour of IAC movement and demand for a strong Lokpal, except under extreme pressure (as happened in Parliament on 27 Aug). The statement by PM and other leaders about their commitment for bringing a strong Lokpal has no meaning as it is not matched by deeds. People can see the gap between their deeds and lofty claim of bringing a strong Lokpal. Today the person, who destroyed state administration year rule in Bihar during his 15 year rule and with a corruption case in Chaara ghotala, is their mouth piece and at the front of defending the weak Lokpal bill of Govt!