Anna & Team focused amidst political tug of war

The Congress and the BJP continued their slugfest on the civil society's role on the anti-corruption Lokpal Bill even as crusader Anna Hazare arrived for the Wednesday meeting pulling punches at the government questioning his locus standi.

Hazare, who is staying at the Maharashtra government's guest house, Maharashtra Sadan, chided those in the government are servants of people and should not conduct themselves as masters.

Congress spokesman Janardan Dwivedi shot back that " one person trying to impose own views is not democracy. Pranab Mukherjee's outburst against Hazare and company posing as civil society's voice trying to reject the democratic process of elected Parliament and Legislatures run the country.

" Whosoever comes through democracy process is welcome and that is why Congress, BJP and other parties contest elections. There is no other process as only those elected constitute Parliament and Assemblies which alone can decide whether to pass a Bill or not," Dwivedi added, appealing the Hazare group to come above personal agenda in the national interest.

" Nothing wrong in civil society highlighting issues. After all, the government is a representative of the citizens and are answerable," Hazare retorted even as BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar took offence at the government and the Congress abusing Hazare and Baba Ramdev and Congress spokesman Manish Tewari talking of " tyranny of the unelected."