Ambika Soni goes defensive on Team Anna, claims door open for negotiation

With social activist Anna Hazare generating a mass support on the issue of Lokpal, the much humiliated Congress is making desperate efforts to salvage its image by claiming that the doors to negotiations to resolve the matter are still open.

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Friday said, “I fail to understand why Team Anna has chosen the path of protest to find a solution to this complex issue. In any case, the Centre has accepted 34 points of bill made by Civil Society. There is difference of opinion on other points.”

She pointed out that the Government keeps the doors open for talks and dialogue. Soni accepted that Anna has received an overwhelming support from different parts of the country. “But it does not confirm that he has the support of entire India,” she added.

On being asked, whether the movement for a more effective Lokpal bill is the most challenging political crisis for UPA-2, she said, “I do not know, but our government is very serious to root out the menace of corruption. And it is true that as media exposed series of scam, people are very annoyed with politicians.”

Replying to a question on the sharp contrast in the public opinion on the crystal clear image of Prime Minister and the tainted representation of his cabinet, Soni said, “Perhaps this is the anger of people against politicians who have been involved in scams and scandals. Irrespective of the fact that who is leading the campaign, people tend to support any raised against corruption.”

Source: JPN/