"The Constitution has given the power to legislate only to Parliament and the state Assemblies," Finance Minister and chairman of the joint drafting committee for the Bill Pranab Mukherjee told reporters in Kolkata on Sunday.

But then one may beg the question: why was the Parliament not enforcing its right in passing a Lokpal Bill for over 40 years? To jog the government's memory, the first Lokpal Bill was introduced by Shanti Bhushan and passed in the 4th Lok Sabha way back in 1969 and got stuck in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was re-presented in various avatars in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and in 2008. All through, the forum that had the 'right' to pass the bill sat or slept over it. It looked like no MP wanted this bill.

This shows that how much these politicians care about people. One of the most experienced and highly rated person in Indian Politics is behaving as one normal dirty politician. Instead of using his experience and talent to get this bill passed, he is using it to supress this bill.

So, Anna's logic is: if you (Parliament) cannot frame or pass the bill, leave it to the people. But Pranab Mukherjee has a different take. He has accused Team Anna of trying to subvert the Constitution and democracy.

Mukherjee made it very loud and clear that Team Anna can give suggestions, not command or coerce the government through fasts or street-side rabble-rousing agitations. Team Anna cannot set deadlines to parliament on passing the pass the Lokpal Bill. In other words, the Parliament can take another 40 odd years to get a Bill through. Mark Mukherjee's his words: "Nobody can give a guarantee as to how long Parliament is going to take to pass the Bill or when it will be passed. Parliament is Supreme."

"Today we are being threatened that by August 15 the Bill needs to be passed or else there will be fast unto death. It is Parliament's right to decide on bills and legislations," Mukherjee said.

If Team Anna cannot dictate or direct Parliament, how can the National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by Sonia Gandhi. The NAC is also an extra-constitutional body. It is for the first time since independence that Parliament has given part of its exclusive power to the NAC headed by one elected MP (Sonia Gandhi) and members who are not elected.

Many bills are either proposed by the NAC or should get the nod from this body. So how is NAC any different from groups like Civil Society of Anna Hazare or that of Baba Ramdev?


"Frankly, how is the NAC any different from groups backing Anna Hazare or Baba Ramdev? It is the brazenness of the NAC towards the elected government that has encouraged the Annas and the Babas...the NAC has played a major role in weakening the elected government.

That apart, on the political front, Mukherjee has accused Anna of being hand in glove with the RSS and the BJP. The RSS, he alleged, was providing logistics to the civil society agitation. "It started when the Congress attacked the RSS at the Burari session for their links with extremists. They have become jittery and have provided logistic support to all agitators," Mukherjee said. What is wrong in RSS funding these agitations?? Every responsible citizen of this country has to support it.Be glad that RSS supports it.