Hazare-led civil society under attack in Lok Sabha

Anna Hazare-led civil society on Sunday came under scathing attack in the Lok Sabha with Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad saying any design to target the Constitution and Parliament should be thwarted.

"In the name of Lokpal, a move is on to destroy the country and Parliament, which is the law making body. They are using the language of gheraoing the MPs...they are calling us thieves and dacoits," he said participating in the discussion on the completion of 60 years of Lok Sabha's first sitting.

Despite Parliament being the law making body they want to place someone else on our head, he said adding that there is a deep rooted conspiracy to devalue and defame Parliament.

Without taking the name of Hazare and the civil society, he said on this occasion members should resolve not to allow any damage to Parliament, which is the biggest democratic institution in the world.

Echoing similar concerns, Asaduddin Owaisi (MIM) said fringe elements cannot be allowed to override the supremacy of Parliament.

In a veiled reference to the issue, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said, "Once our norms of accountability improve, cynicism with regard to Parliament and Parliamentary functions will have to be brought to an end. Cynicism leads to anger, anger can lead to crowd on roads.

"But it is Parliament, which is accountable. Mobs are never accountable. Therefore, there is no substitute for parliamentary institutions and a popular faith as far as its functioning is concerned," he said.