Rights of Parliament non-negotiable: PM

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Wednesday attacked social activist Anna Hazare, saying he was being used by certain forces to destabilise what he called an 'emerging economy', and said that the government was interested in finding out who were these forces backing Hazare.

While the prime minister was speaking in Parliament on the Hazare issue, and justifying the sequence of events which led to his arrest, the Congress in an astonishing move went a step further with its spokesman Rashid Alvi naming the United States, and blaming them it for interfering in India's internal affairs.

For a government and a PM, who for the last seven years have sworn by the US, the turn of events is surprising. The context of these utterances is a US state department statement made earlier, where the US advised the Indian government on how to handle Hazare's peaceful demonstration, and to allow the fast to take place.

This was retaliated to by the Ministry of External Affairs, who issued a strong rejoinder, saying that India does not need advice on how to handle its internal affairs.

And on Wednesday, the PM, while speaking on the developments on Hazare, made a point that there were certain nations that do not want India to find its true place in the comity of nations.

The government in the meantime, continued to run around in circles with Hazare refusing to leave the Tihar Jail through the day, until the time the Delhi police agreed to let him fast unconditionally, and gave him a venue where he can fast.

While Ramlila Grounds has been agreed upon and there is now no limit on the number of people who can be present there, Team Anna wants permission for an indefinite fast.

Home Minister P Chidambaram made it clear while speaking in the Lok Sabha, that the Delhi police was handling the case, and that it was Hazare's outlook to discuss the issue with the Delhi police.

On Wednesday morning, the issue was discussed by a core committee, in the evening, the prime minister held discussions with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chidambaram, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Bansal and others to discuss both the hazare and Justice Soumitra sen issues.

A senior minister said that in the current situation, the government would not be held responsible if anything happened to Hazare, since it was the government that tried to stop him from going on fast.

Even as the Hazare phenomenon continues at Tihar Jail, the prime minister has made it clear that the sovereignty of Parliament is supreme, and that the right to make laws is with Parliament and not anyone else.

He made it clear that the rights of Parliament in a democracy are non-negotiable.