India passes anti-corruption law but Hazare continues hunger strike

(Dec. 28, 2011) Church leaders in India welcomed the passage of an anti-corruption bill through the lower house of parliament late Monday night, but social activist Anna Hazare continued his hunger strike for a stronger law on corruption. “It is a historic development, as this government was able to pass the anti-corruption bill after 42 years,” said Jesuit human rights activist Fr. Cedric Prakash. The bill was expected to be presented in the upper house on Tuesday It will become law after both houses pass it and the president endorses it. Since 1968, various governments have unsuccessfully tried to bring eight drafts of an anti-corruption bill in parliament.
Fr Prakash said that the country can never have a perfect anti-graft law, as corruption has to be dealt with at grassroots level. “But with the passage of this bill, we at least have some kind of a law to deal with the menace of corruption,” he said and added
that the federal government will have to make sure the law is implemented properly.
Reverend Richard Howel, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India, considered the bill was a step forward to curb corruption at all levels.
Hazare is demanding the inclusion of the country’s top investigating agency under the purview of the bill. Fr. Prakash said Hazare should withdraw his fast as fasting does not help eradicate corruption and should allow the parliament to do its job.