Members of Parliament Appealed for Lokpal Bill as 2014 Election Manifesto
- Citizens for Social Justice -

New Delhi, September 27, 2011

Citizens for Social Justice
H.Q: Plot No.69, Citizen Colony, Old Alwal, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, 500015
Delhi Address: RZ 61, 4th Floor, Palam Vihar, Sector 6, Dwarka, New Delhi 110075
Email:- [email protected]

The Citizens for Social Justice write to Union Ministers, political parties and Members of Parliament of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to make Lokpal Bill as 2014 Lok Sabha Election manifesto. Let the nation decide a strong Anti Corruption Bill not by Team Anna and their version of Civil Societies.

The appeal to make Lokpal Bill as 2014 Lok Sabha Electoral manifesto came up as response to Anna Hazare’s 13 days fast against corruption at Ram Lila Ground, New Delhi in August. The method used by Team Anna was great danger for democratic nation to blackmail the constitutionally elected parliamentarians to get through their version of Jan Lokpal Bill.

Prof Kancha Ilaiah, Director of the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad says, “We all oppose corruption with all the might at our disposal. But we do not want that the outside forces like the Team Anna Hazare to blackmail the system and get their way through even at the level of Standing Committee of the Parliament.”

Citizens for Social Justice see the draconian clauses in Team Anna’s version of Jan Lokpal Bill and it is dangerous once it becomes the law. Team Ann’s version of Civil Societies against corruption projected by English media does not represent the whole nation. It was rich, middle and upper caste societies, where the members of SC/ST, OBC and minorities not included.

Dr. Joseph D’souza, President of All India Christian Council, a member of Citizens for Social Justice says, “We the Citizens for Social Justice write to Parliamentarians demanding that the Lokpal Bill should go to the people during 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Political parties should take their version of their Lokpal Bill and so should Team Anna and see if the whole nation is with their version of the Bill as claimed by them and the English media and the corporate houses which are funding them.”

The text of the letter to Hon’ble Union Ministers, Political Leaders and MPs are enclosed:

Dear Hon’ble Union Ministers, Political Leaders and Members of Parliament

As you are aware that the debate about instituting a strong and constitutionally viable Lokpal has become contentious. We the undersigned citizens for Social Justice feel that that the Team Anna’s Lokpal Bill has not only draconian clauses but subtly aimed at marginalizing the social forces that are slowly but surely coming to the centre stage of our socio-political system. The SC/STs have been coming into parliament and higher level Government jobs because of the reservation system that the architect of Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar put in place. Subsequently the Other Backward Classes and Minorities are getting some place because of certain positive protective measures of the Government of India and the state Governments.

If the Team Anna kind of anti-reservationists were to control the portal of power in those days in the name of civil societal power of the middle class, they would have completely opposed reservations. Since Mahatma Gandhi and Pundit Nehru were sensitive to the cause they allowed Ambedkar to put a radically rapturous constitution in place. The Team Anna with the force of an invisible hand is now trying to dismantle the constitution and the structures of parliament.

We all oppose corruption with all the might at our disposal. But we do not want that the outside forces like the Team Anna Hazare to blackmail the system and get their way through even at the level of Standing Committee of the Parliament. What ever Bill the Standing Committee puts before both the Houses of the Parliament which ever political party agrees with the Standing Committee’s Draft Bill such parties can adopt that Bill as part of their Election Manifesto in 2014 general elections. Those who do not agree with the SCP’s Draft Bill they can put their own Bill before the electorate as part of their manifesto. Even the so called mightiest Team Anna can put its own Bill before the entire nation’s electorate and get a majority elected by using their media and civil societal power. Then they will legitimately have the power to create their own Lokpal.

We therefore urge upon you not to be swayed away by the media and Team Anna, which seem to have a larger agenda than corruption and pass the bill in the parliament before 2014 General Elections. Within these two and half years the existing laws and institutions to curb corruption must be used without any compromise. If any draconian clauses of the Jan Lokpal get into the Bill and that Bill becomes the law the credibility of parliament will be lost. This law will definitely hamper and stop the upward mobility of the lower castes and minorities and is designed as such. Corruption and Caste Discrimination has a strong linkage in our society. We request you to keep this dimension in mind when you discuss the Lokpal Bill in future. All their designs must get exposed before the mightiest force of the nation---the electorate.

The Citizens of Social Justice is an alliance of SCs, STs, OBCs and Minority religious communities.

Signed by:

Prof. Kancha Ilaiah - Director for the study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad
Dr. Joseph D’ Souza - President - All India Christian Council
Mr. Asifuddin Muhammed - President, Islamic Academy for Comparative Religion
Dr. John Dayal – Member, National Integration Council
Dr. Udit Raj- Chairman, All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations
Mr. Vidya Bhushan Rawat – Human Rights Activist, Delhi
Ms. Cynthia Stephen, Independent Researcher and writer, Bangalore
Madhu Chandra Singh – Spokesperson of North East Support Centre and helpline
All India Christian Council
Forum For Empowerment of Weaker Sections Andhra Pradesh
Mahatma Jotirao Phule Academy Andhra Pradesh

The Citizens of Social Justice is an alliance of SCs, STs, OBCs and Minority religious who are concerned about social fascism that attempts to assaults on Indian secularism and democracy.

Released by

Madhu Chandra
PRO – aicc, New Delhi