Hazare needs good politicians by his side: Swamy

Chennai, Apr 19 (ANI): Janata Party President and telecom scam petitioner Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday said veteran social activist Anna Hazare is surrounded by bogus NGOs, and added that he needs good politicians by his side.

"Unfortunately, being a non-political, he is surrounded by these NGO (Non-Governmental Organisations) types who are all bogus. He needs some good politicians to help him," Swamy told mediapersons here.

Further praising Hazare, Swamy said he is a highly respected, simple, and straightforward person, and a complete nationalist who has done wonderful work in his village.

Swamy also called the government's Lokpal Bill as bogus.

"I don't know what will come out of this thing. I don't think there can be an agreement to give up sanction and therefore I don't see any fruitful purpose. It has to come a public issue for the next Lok Sabha elections," he added.

Following 73-year-old Hazare's five-day long hunger strike, the government issued a gazette notification constituting a 10-member Joint Committee of Ministers and civil society activists, including him, to draft an effective Lok Pal Bill.

The notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Joint Drafting Committee to prepare a draft of the Lok Pal Bill will have five ministers from the government and five nominees of Hazare, including himself.

The five Ministers are Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson, Home Minister P Chidamabaram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily (Convenor), HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid.

The civil society will be represented by Hazare, former Supreme Court judge N Santosh Hegde, former Law Minister Shanti Bhushan (Co-Chairperson), lawyer Prashant Bhushan and RTI activist Arvind Kejriwal.

The notification said the Joint Drafting Committee will commence work forthwith evolving its own procedure to prepare the proposed legislation. The committee shall complete its work latest by June 30. (ANI)