Version imprimablePRESS STATEMENT - ISSUED IN PUBLIC INTEREST
FOR FAVOUR OF PUBLICATION – DATED 24 AUGUST 2011
Statement On The Lokpal Bill Crisis By Academicians, Activists, Jounalists And Others
We the undersigned are deeply disturbed by the events of the last fortnight, when an arrogant and ham-handed Government that has been associated with unprecedented levels of corruption has also sought to suppress dissent in the most unacceptable manner. There is now clear public assertion that corruption has reached intolerable limits and needs to be curbed. For this, suitable legislation needs to be enacted.
We believe that there is a need for intervention to enable legislation to be made in a dignified manner. However, we note that legislation can be only one part of the process of reducing and eliminating corruption, which is also rooted in corporate behavior and the nexus between government, business and media. It is also important to recognise that the current government has lost its credibility on the issue of curbing corruption, which is why there are legitimate concerns that the legislation it proposes is not likely to be adequate.
In view of this we demand the following:
1. All political parties should make a clear and unambiguous statement that they would ensure that after legitimate and proper scrutiny, the Lokpal legislation would be passed expeditiously reflecting the will of the Parliament and, therefore, the people.
2. Considering the seriousness of the issue as well as the problems of implementation, the Parliament should ensure that the best possible legislation is enacted and that consideration is not restricted to the differences between the Government Bill and the Jan Lokpal Bill and or any other Bill presented by other vocal sections of the civil society.
3. The Standing Committee of Parliament that considers any version of the Bill must actively solicit views from a wide range of citizens and groups, including those representing hitherto marginalised groups who have not so far been heard in this discussion, and seek to incorporate their concerns into the legislation.
4. We appreciate the fact that the section of civil society represented by Shri Anna Hazare has focussed the attention of the nation on the urgency of enactment of the Lokpal Bill, though we do not necessarily approve of all of their methods. Shri Anna Hazare and his group should also declare that they recognise and respect the procedure for formulating legislation through the Parliament as enshrined in the Constitution of India and respect the right of all sections of people to be heard.
5. The owners and presenters of the media must work to ensure a more balanced representation of people’s aspirations, including those of peasants and workers, dalits, minorities, women and others who have a right to be heard.
6. The Constitution of India should not be subverted. Legislation can and should be made by the Parliament without coercion of any kind. All citizens and groups of citizens have a right to bring their perceptions regarding the legislation before Parliament through the constitutional procedures devised for the purpose, including public protest.
No legislation can be perfect in a vast and diverse nation such as ours. The Constitution itself has been amended more than a hundred times since it was adopted. Therefore no single group should claim that its members alone have the best legislative prescription for eradicating corruption.
(For and on behalf of the signatories)
(K. Ashok Rao)
– President, National Confederation of Officers Associations (NCOA)
– J 152, Saket
– New Delhi 110017
– 9868101640
– kashokrao[AT]gmail.com
List of signatories
Administration
S.P. Shukla
– Vivek Mehrotra
– Firoza Mehrotra
– Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat
Acedamics
– Prof. Amiya Bagchi
– Prof. Prabhat Patnaik,
– Prof. Jayati Ghosh,
Prof. Obaid Siddiqui,
Prof. Jawarimal Parakh,
– Prof. Kamal Mitra Chenoy
– Prof. Anuradha Chenoy
– Prof Mohan Rao
– Prof. Anil Sadgopal
– Prof Zoya Hasan
– Prof Ravi Srivastava
– Jaya Mehta
– Badri Raina
– Anuradha Marwah
– Prof. Sumit Sarkar
– Prof. Tanika Sarkar
– Nina Rao
– K. Subramaniam
– Rekha Awasthi
– M.M.P. Singh
– K.L.Tuteja
– Madhu Prasad
– Prof. Utsa Patnaik
– V Ramakrishna
– V.M. Jha
– Rimili Bhatacharya
– P.K. Shukla
– Saskia Sassen
– Venkatesh Athreya
– Vishwa Mohan Jha
– Atuluri Murli
– Girish Mishra
– D.N.Jha
– Arjun Dev
– Indira Arjun Dev
– Dinesh Abrol
– Archana Abrol
– Dhruv Raina
Artists
M.K. Raina
– Raja Jaikrishan
– Sukanya Rahman
– Maya Krishna Rao
– Ram Rahman
– Githa Hariharan
– Rekha Rodwittya
Legal
Justice B. G. KolsePatil
– Rajiv Dhavan
– Ashok Agarwal
– Nandita Rao
Journalists
R. Ramachandran
– Praful Bidwai
– Akhila Sivadas
– Seema Mustafa
– Anand K. Sahay
– Aniket Alam
– Antara Dev Sen
– Ajith Pillai
Trade Union
Vivek Monteiro
– Baby Thomas
– K. Ashok Rao
Social Activists and others
Dr. Mohini Giri
– Navaid Hamid
– Fr Cedric Prakash
– Yousuf Saeed
– Romi Khosla
– Ruchira Gupta
– Afsar Jafri
– Biraj Patnaik
– Dipa Sinha
– Sunita Bhasin
– Bhupinder
– Dharam Vir
– R K Gupta
– Gauhar Siraj
– Alok Bajpai
– Prabha Kumathe
– Dr VN Sharma
– Sudesh
– Asha Sarangi
– Rajni B. Arora
– Rakesh Manchanda
– Rajeswari S. Raina
– Sohail Hashmi
– Manoj Mitta
– Asha Mukherjee
– Simi A. Pandeya
