New Delhi: In an obvious reference to Team Anna, Congress condemned 'unnecessary statements' on Lokpal issue by 'some groups' despite repeated assertions by UPA leaders including Sonia Gandhi about their resolve to carry out all reforms to put an end to corruption.
"After strong statements by Congress President Sonia Gandhi again and again about the commitment of UPA to carry out all necessary reforms to bring an end to corruption, the statements of the Prime Minister and important members of his council of ministers about the government's resolve to pass a strong Lokpal bill.....there seems to be no need for making unnecessary statements by some groups," said the editorial of the October issue of the party mouthpiece Congress Sandesh.
The editorial is also strongly critical of statements made by Team Anna earlier that the Gandhian was above Parliament.
"To say that an individual is above Parliament is showing a lack of respect and understanding of the Constitution of the country.... Never before has an individual claimed to be above all this because he is the citizen and it is the people, who frame laws or elect Parliament," the editorial said without naming anyone.
Stressing that the collective will of Parliament cannot be challenged by an individual, it said such assertions "reek of arrogance" against established norms of society.
"We are committed to uphold the dignity of our Constitution and would not allow anyone to disrespect it. Such remarks by anyone need to be condemned and treated with the contempt they deserve," the editiorial said.
The latest issue of the magazine came on a day, when Anna Hazare has threatened to resume his fast if the government fails to get a strong Jan Lokpal Bill passed during Parliament's winter session.
Congress party on Tuesday slammed Anna Hazare's ultimatum to go on fast, saying government is committed to a strong Lokpal bill to fight corruption.
"I don't understand this disquiet when we have continuously said that we are committed to a strong Lokpal bill to fight against corruption, " Law Minister Salman Khursheed said.
Another Congress leader Renuka Chaudhary said, "It is very confusing and there is no clarity. Team Anna seems to be very shrewd after announcing that they have nothing to do with politics."
"This has been said by Anna and his associates many times. Before campaigning against Congress in Hisar also, they had said that they would compel the government to bring Lokpal bill... I do not know why they are making such statements when there is no need to compel the government for it," Information
and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here.
She was responding to questions on Hazare's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday in which he threatened to resume his fast on the last day of Parliament's Winter Session if the government fails to get a strong Jan Lokpal Bill passed by then.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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