Lokpal bill: Public says ‘aye’ to Hazare

An online survey on domain-b showed that an overwhelming 85.8 per cent of our visitors support the inclusion of the prime minister under the Lokpal. This is in line with a similar internet survey by The Times of India, which indicated that the general public is overwhelmingly in support of the Hazare team, and disillusioned with the government version of the Lokpal Bill.

The Times survey was carried out after Hazare's team, which carried out its own poll in Delhi's Chandni Chowk, the parliamentary constituency of telecom and human resource development minister Kapil Sibal, a strong votary of the government's version of the Lokpal bill draft. This poll showed 85 per cent of the senior minister's constituents voting against the government version and for the civil society version of the bill. (See: The government's proposals)

Sibal on Monday trashed the Chandni Chowk poll as rigged, waxing sarcastic by saying he was glad team Hazare did not return a 100-per cent result for itself. However, the ToI survey shows that public disillusionment about the government version is widespread.

Political observers are now keenly watching how events unfold in Parliament, as so far no political party – whether ruling or in opposition – has favoured a strong anti-corruption ombudsman.

This is the ninth time in 42 years that such a bill is being proposed. The first one, in 1969, got through the Lok Sabha but was blocked in the Rajya Sabha – the 'upper house' that is elected by political parties rather than the public (and to which, incidentally, current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh belongs).

After that, Lokpal bills were introduced in 1971, 1977, 1985, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008.

But none of them made it through Parliament, leading to the inevitable public perception that almost all politicians are in the same boat.

(See: Government introduces Lokpal Bill; Hazare's supporters burn copies)