We are with you in your crusade but give up fast: BJP to Anna

New Delhi, Apr 7 (PTI) India's principal opposition
party, the BJP, Thursday said it agreed with the "essence" of
Anna Hazare's demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill and his Gandhian
way of protest but asked him to give up his indefinite fast as
"his life is precious".
"Anna Hazare is a very well respected leader. We are
with him in his crusade against corruption. We want that a
Bill to fight corruption should be very stringent and
effective. His life is very precious. We request him to give
up his fast. BJP has already lent its support to this cause,"
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said on
Twitter.
She suggested that the government should call an
all-party meet to discuss the bill.
Though Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) agrees that there is
a need to bring the Lokpal (Ombudsman) Bill, it is not in
agreement with Hazare's draft of the Bill, sources said.
"We have already said we agree with the essence of the
demand made by Hazare and also his Gandhian way of protest,"
BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said.
Party sources said BJP agrees on four basic issues
highlighted in the Jan Lokpal Bill espoused by Hazare.
"We want that the bureaucracy and politicians should
come under the Lokpal's ambit, property of the guilty corrupt
should be confiscated, such cases should be tried in fast
track courts and there is should be more stringent
punishment," Javadekar said.
He took a dig at the Congress-led government for
resisting the demands made by Hazare.
"The government is now acting exactly like it did on
the Joint Parliamentary Committee issue. It had shown adamance
and arrogance due to which the whole winter session of
Parliament was lost. They will have to finally accept Hazare's
demands," Javadekar said.
Asked if BJP agreed to all provisions envisaged by
Hazare in the Jan Lokpal Bill, the spokesperson said, "In a
democracy everybody is privy to have his views. We support the
basic essence of his demand but we do not agree with every
opinion of Anna."
BJP also defended Karnataka Chief Minister B S
Yeddyurappa, who is facing charges of corruption yet the party
has not taken any action against him.
"The case against Yeddyurappa is being investigated by
the Lokayukta and an inquiry committee. We will act when the
report comes out. We can assure that we will not do with the
report what the Central government did with the V K Shunglu
Committee report on Commonwealth Games."