As a storm brews in the CPI(M) over party politburo member Brinda Karat sharing the dais with self-styled Gandhian Anna Hazare, party general secretary Prakash Karat came out in the open to defend her.
He justified her decision of joining hands with the BJP to participate at Anna’s show at Jantar Mantar on December 11.
In his article in the forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece People’s Democracy, Mr Prakash Karat criticised the stance that since Parliament is in session and is scheduled to discuss the Lokpal Bill, it should not be discussed at a public forum outside Parliament.
The fact that major political parties, the BJP and the Left, participated in the Anna stir at Jantar Mantar came under severe criticism from the government which felt that it was inappropriate for them to do so. The view has been shared by a section within the CPI(M) which has criticised Ms Brinda Karat’s move to participate in Anna’s stir.
Anna was flanked by Ms Karat and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley during his strike at Jantar Mantar. It may be recalled that the Left parties had earlier hit out at Anna for apparently toeing an RSS line.
However, defending Ms Karat, Mr Karat wrote: “After the introduction of the government’s bill on Lokpal in Parliament, Congress leaders proclaimed that any protest against it was undemocratic since it is under the purview of Parliament. The latest stance is that since Parliament is scheduled to discuss it, after the standing committee’s report on the bill, it should not be discussed at Jantar Mantar or any public meetings outside Parliament. This is a travesty of democracy,” he said.
Backing Ms Karat’s open support to Anna at Jantar Mantar, he said: “Fortunately, for the country, there are few takers for such self-serving arguments of the Congress leaders.”