New Delhi: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Thursday said that those who expect the Lokpal Bill to rid the country of corruption are "living in a fool's paradise" and asked civil society members if they had "touched" the source of corruption.
"I agree with most of the points in the draft on the bill by the civil society. I do think it can form a basis but those who claim that if Lokpal Bill comes into operation, the country will be rid of corruption are living in a fool's paradise," CPI General Secretary AB Bardhan said in New Delhi.
Appreciating the civil society members for their efforts, he said, "I have all the respect for them. They are my friends but I want to ask them if they have touched the source of corruption?"
He accused corporate houses of being "fertile sources" of corruption involving crores of rupees.
"There is a nexus between corporate houses, bureaucrats and politicians," Bardhan said.
He termed the claims made by the five members of the team as "highly exaggerated" and said, "What does a civil society mean? Who are its members? Can they speak on behalf of the entire country? The five members have an exaggerated notion about themselves. One must be modest."
Condemning the motivated "smear campaign" by Congress leader Digvijay Singh against the civil society, he said, "The people he is speaking about are men of dignity. He is in-creditable to speak. He for sure does not belong to the civil society."
He belittled the claim by NAC that National Food Security Bill, 2011 guarantees subsidised foodgrain to at least 90 per cent of rural households, Bardhan said, "I am not sure of the claim. Who do they mean? Which 90 per cent? Percentages mean nothing sometimes."
Speaking about the proposed merger of CPI-CPI(M), he said, "At the moment it is not on our agenda. CPI, CPI-M and all the communist parties are working on a unity of action on all the issues faced by the country."
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