Advani's blog on Anna Hazare

Delhi:  Hailing Anna Hazare's campaign for a "more effective" Lokpal Bill, senior BJP leader L K Advani disapproved of those who revel in spreading a climate of disdain about politics and politicians which he said was a gross disservice to democracy.

In his latest blog, he said Hazare fast achieved more in four days than what the opposition had in two months when it was demanding a JPC probe into the 2G scam. (Read Full Blog)

Interestingly, Advani gave credit to TV and information technology for what Hazare achieved in a short time.

"The immediate effect (of TV and IT) has been that JPC which the NDA, supported by the entire opposition, could achieve only after two months and that too by not allowing Parliament to have any business for whole of winter session.

"Hazare was able to achieve his limited objective of a more effective Lokpal Bill within four days of his
announcement of a fast unto death," Advani said.

Advani criticised leaders from the ruling party who had called Hazare an "RSS agent". He praised the social activist's response and the letter he wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.

He blamed the UPA government for both the problems in granting a JPC as well as in Anna's success and maintained that this regime has by now earned the "singular reputation" of being the most corrupt government in independent India.

He also expressed his ire against those who attacked former BJP leader Uma Bharti when she visited Jantar Mantar to meet Hazare during the agitation.

"It is an index of Anna's innate decency and his disinclination to believe that all politicians are corrupt that when he learnt about this he publicly apologized to Uma. I am of the view that those who revel in spreading a general climate of disdain about politics and politicians are doing a gross disservice to democracy," Advani said.

He maintained that despite the shortcomings of Indian democracy there were still "conscientious and upright politicians" in the country.

Advani also heaped praise on yoga guru Baba Ramdev for contributing to Hazare's movement.

"In fact, government should be conscious that the dimensions of corruption have become so frightening that the assault on this malady has to be multi-pronged," he said.

Advani suggested that a meeting of political parties should be convened to discuss this issue "particularly in the context of black money and curbing money-power in elections".

Hazare had also expressed concern about use of money-power in elections.