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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Activists on Sonia-led NAC come out in support of Bhushans by Himanshi Dhawan

Activists on Sonia-led NAC come out in support of Bhushans by Himanshi Dhawan

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published Published on Apr 19, 2011   modified Modified on Apr 19, 2011
Setting aside their differences with the Anna Hazare team over the Lokpal Bill, civil society representatives on the Sonia Gandhi led-National Advisory Council (NAC) have come out strongly to oppose they called a systematic attempt to slander the reputation of Shanti and Prashant Bhushan.

NAC members and their comrades banded under the National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) with Aruna Roy, Harsh Mander and others endorsing the viewpoint of Hazare and his colleagues that the attack on the Bhushans' credentials was meant to distract attention from the campaign for creation of an effective anti—corruption mechanism in the form of Lokpal.

On Monday, Hazare had complained of an attempt to derail the campaign for Lokpal Bill in a letter to Sonia.

The statement in support of the Bhushans said, "The NCPRI condemns all attempts to unfairly discredit them (the Bhushans) and expresses full solidarity with them. We stand with them in their battle for cleaner and more accountable governance and for the strengthening of democratic institutions. We will oppose all efforts that seek to sideline the central issue, of establishing strong and effective mechanisms to tackle endemic corruption in the country."

NCPRI members stressed that the Bhushans had been pilloried and attacked without being given the right to defend themselves. Besides Roy and Mander, the statement was signed by Shekhar Singh, CHRI's Maja Daruwala, Venkatesh Nayak and information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi. Terming the circulation of a CD which has Shanti Bhushan purportedly saying that his son could fix a judge as "disgraceful", the statement said the allegations had not been subjected to even a basic scrutiny.

The development is seen as significant because of the rift that appeared to have developed between civil society groups on the agitation by Hazare, with Mander and Roy appearing to be uneasy over the direction that the Hazare campaign was taking.

But even while they expressed solidarity with the Bhushans, the NAC has decided not to join deliberations of the joint committee representing the Hazare team and government on drafting of the Lokpal Bill.

NAC member Aruna Roy told TOI, "I have been made to understand that the NAC will not be discussing the Lokpal Bill at present."

Sources said that discussion on the proposed legislation had already been initiated by NCPRI and further consultations would be held shortly. A source said, "The NAC mandate is to raise public opinion and bring it to the attention of the government and that purpose is being fulfilled by other organizations."

The Times of India, 20 April, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Activists-on-Sonia-led-NAC-come-out-in-support-of-Bhushans/articleshow/8032356.cms


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