London-based non-resident Indians demand strong anti-corruption law

Demanding a strong anti-corruption law,Indian nationals living in London have called on the Indian government to support social activist Anna Hazares fast-unto-death strike against corruption. People protested on the streets of London and shouted slogans,urging the government to introduce an effective and transparent Jan Lokpal Ombudsman) Bill. Rajesh Redij,a supporter,advised all Indians to focus on …

Demanding a strong anti-corruption law,Indian nationals living in London have called on the Indian government to support social activist Anna Hazares fast-unto-death strike against corruption.

People protested on the streets of London and shouted slogans,urging the government to introduce an effective and transparent Jan Lokpal Ombudsman) Bill.

Rajesh Redij,a supporter,advised all Indians to focus on the bill regardless of political and religious affiliations.

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Just a simple clear message that we support Anna Hazare and the India Against Corruption movement,and what we want is the simplest clear message. So,what we are trying to do is that this is a big trend,we want everyone regardless of political affiliations,religion to focus on Jan Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill,the message that we are trying to do,which is to bring about strong,effective and transparent anti-corruption system in India, said Rajesh.

Hazare is due to begin an indefinite hunger strike from August 16,to protest against the government’s version of the ombudsman bill,a legislation which is being claimed as a one-stop solution to corruption plaguing the country.

The government’s draft bill was introduced in the parliament on August 4.

Noorie Hussain,a supporter,said the Indian government was accountable to every citizen of the country and that time had come the government listens to the public.

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I feel that the government is accountable to all of us,and its high time that they have been doing everything,they want on their conditions. Its time that they should listen to people,and they are answerable to us, said Hussain.

While the civil society representatives,including Hazare and his team,are garnering public support against the government’s draft bill,the government is in a rush to get the bill passed in the parliament.

Corruption and a series of graft cases have proven to be the key issue plaguing the Congress party-led federal government.

The final meeting between the government and the civil society representatives on the drafting of the bill had ended on June 22,with differences on six key issues,such as including the post of prime minister,the higher echelons of judiciary and acts of members of parliaments inside the parliament,under the purview of the Lokpal.

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The civil society members also differed with the government over the mode of selection of the ombudsman panel and removal of its members.

Graft has long been a part of daily life in India,but a series of recent scandals, which include violations in granting telecom licences that cost the country $39 billion in lost revenue,are unprecedented.