Unedited full text of the English translation, as sent
Anna Hazare Office,
Ralegan Siddhi,
Tal-Parner,
Dist-Ahmednagar-414302
Maharashtra,
India
Date: 21st September 2013
To,
Hon'ble Dr. Manmohan Singhji.
Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi - 110001.
Subject: Regarding Citizens Charter Bill 2011.
Respected Dr. Manmohan Singh ji,
Along with me, people of this country are agitating and demonstrating since 16th August 2011. There was discussion in both the houses of Parliament on 27th August 2011 and everybody has agreed on three issues— JanLokpal, Citizens Charter and appointing Lokayuktas in all states.
Two years are passed but there is no action on JanLokpal and Lokayukta except giving promises by writing letters. These bills are of utmost importance for the country but still it is not passed.
In beginning, you mentioned about everybody's consent on all three issues but government decided to pass Citizens Charter Bill separately. There is a long delay in passing JanLokpal and Lokayukta Bills. I have mentioned about this in last letter also.
Citizens charter Bill was presented in Lok Sabha on 20th December 2011. Parliament's standing committee presented its report regarding 'Personnel & Public Grievances' and 'Law & Justice' departments on 28th August 2012. One year is passed and still there is no action on this Bill. You have promised us in a letter dated 27/11/2011, but all three issues are still pending. Even after a long delay of two years, Prime Minister has not kept his promise. You have promised us in writing on 27th August 2011 at Ramlila maidan, but all these issues are still pending even after two years. There is a resolution passed in the Parliament and Prime Minister of country promises us in writing and if these promises are not kept then it is a subject of worry.
Citizens Charter is a very important issue for people of this country. If any common man goes to any government office for some work then s/he can't get it done without paying money. Everybody is distressed. In this situation, Citizens Charters Bill should be passed at earliest and it is very important for people of this country. Two years are passed after 27th August 2011. It is very unfortunate that such an important bill is still not passed. For government the Bill allowing individuals lodged in jails to contest elections is more important than Citizens Charters Bill. This is very unfortunate for people of this country. Now, I will be thankful to you if I could know what are the obstacles in passing Citizens Charter Bill?
Even after your promise, there is no action on these three issues, and due to this all people of this country are distressed. Hence, all people along with me will start agitation once again.
Thank You.
Warm Regards,
K.B. Hazare (Anna)
***
Date: 21st September 2013
To,
Hon'ble Dr. Manmohan Singh ji.
Prime Minister of India,
New Delhi - 110001.
Subject : Regarding a letter dated 03/09/2013 sent by Shri. Narayansami through your office.
Respected Dr. Manmohan Singh ji,
Received above mentioned letter sent by your office. The points mentioned in the letter are not based on the truth. The points are written just to confuse the people.
The truth is that JanLokpal Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on 27/12/2011 by everybody's consent. It was presented for discussion in Rajya Sabha on 29/12/2011. Earlier in one of your letter you have mentioned that there was no action on this Bill for five months. You also have agreed to this fact.
On 21/5/2012 a select committee was formed by Rajya Sabha and the Bill was sent to them. The Bill was presented in Rajya Sabha on 29/12/2011 and almost after one year select committee presented its report on 23/11/2012.
Twelve months' time is passed in getting select committee's report but still no firm action is taken.
The president of the select committee was from your party only. Also few more members of select committee were from your party. If government would have tried there would not have been such a long delay in select committee's report. But government doesn't wish to pass JanLokpal Bill and this is the reason for delay.
After the select committee presented its report in Rajya Sabha, by making amendments as per recommendations in the report this Bill could have been passed in Rajya Sabha. But due to the lack of interest by government this Bill could not be passed in budget session. After select committees report there was no hurdle to present this Bill in budget session, only discussion on it was pending.
After budget session, your office sent us a letter dated 24 July 2013 and told us that efforts are being taken to pass JanLokpal and Lokayukta Bills in this monsoon session.
In this monsoon session your government passed many Bills like Bhoomi Adhigrahan Bill, Food Security Bill, Bill allowing individuals lodged in jails to contest elections, Pension Bill etc., but JanLokpal and Lokayukta Bills are not passed. It is very unfortunate that for your government Bill allowing individuals lodged in jails to contest elections is more important than JanLokpal Bill.
It is very clear that government does not wish to pass JanLokpal and Lokayukta Bills.
Select committee had sent their report on 23/11/2012. As per select committees recommendations this Bill should have been presented in parliament in monsoon session of 2012 i.e. last year.
This Bill was not presented in monsoon session of 2012 but even after one year it was supposed to be passed in this monsoon session of 2013, now the monsoon session of the year 2013 is also over but select committee's recommendations are not discussed in parliament.
The government is purposefully avoiding this Bill.
Though in the beginning of this monsoon session only your office's minister Narayansami ji had told us that there will be discussion in Rajya Sabha on JanLokpal and Lokayukta Bill in this session. But this did not happen.
It is very clear that government does not wish to pass this Bill. If it would have been government's wish, though there was a delay in presenting this Bill in Rajya Sabha, as per the provision in Indian Constitution the
Bill which is passed in Lok Sabha and is being kept on hold by Rajya Sabha for more than six months, then on minister's recommendation they can call for a joint meeting of President's House. And there could be a discussion in house on the Bill.
But no joint meeting of house was called to avoid today's situation. JanLokpal and Lokayukta Bills are being kept on hold at select committee level purposefully.
Government is purposefully not giving any deadline to present recommendations of select committee in the house. It is inappropriate for the government that nine months are taken just to discuss the report of select committee which was presented on 23/11/2012. After select committee's report was submitted, only discussion in house was pending to pass the Bill, but the Bill was kept hanging in Rajya Sabha, no work was done about it. Now nine months are passed and still no efforts are being taken.
The point to be noted is that the Bill is not passed even after monsoon session was extended by six days. So it is very clear that government has purposefully kept this Bill hanging in Rajya Sabha.
To stop my fasting you have promised me and all countrymen in writing that your government will pass JanLokpal as soon as possible. This promise is not kept. Your party president Smt. Sonia Gandhi ji also had promised that JanLokpal Bill will be passes at earliest. But till today it is proved as empty promise only and people are cheated.
In this situation, to pass JanLokpal Bill, people doesn't have any other option than agitation. Hence I will start my fasting with people of this country at Ramlila maidan in Delhi.
Warm Regards,
K.B. Hazare (Anna)
