New Delhi (dpa) – India's Parliament Tuesday began a three-day debate on anti-corruption legislation as activist Anna Hazare prepared to go on a new hunger strike to demand a stronger law. The bill envisages setting up an independent ombudsman with the power to prosecute politicians and civil servants. Hazare, who has described the bill as “weak and useless,” is staging a fast in the financial hub Mumbai. Morning traffic was at a standstill in key commercial districts as Hazare, waving from an open truck and accompanied by hundreds of supporters, made his way to the rally site. Hazare demands the bill be amended because it does not give the ombudsman investigative powers and would not oversee the federal investigators of the Central Bureau of Investigation. The ombudsman would have to request that the bureau, which is under government control, look into a case. Detractors said the bureau is used to investigate government critics and drags its feet on cases involving government ministers. Hazare's supporters were to demonstrate in cities across India, including New Delhi, where live broadcasts from Mumbai were arranged. Hazare has been campaigning for a strong anti-graft bill since April by holding hunger strikes and rallies. Corruption has become a key issue as several big-money scandals hit Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government over the past year. Approval of the bill was not expected to be easy, with the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and the Communist Party of India-Marxist saying they would propose amendments. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/te5ft Tags: Anti-Graft Bill, Corruption, Government, India Section: South Asia
