New Delhi, Aug 24: Noted intellectuals and academicians today joined hands to criticise UPA Government over the way it has dealt with the issue of corruption and Anna Hazare's ongoing fast against it.
Asking all political parties to take a clear stand over the Lokpal issue, a group of intellectuals and academicians, in a statement, also sought early passage of the bill by Parliament.
Backing a strong legislation like Lokpal to weed out corruption from the society, the group also sought inclusion of the corporate sector under the proposed law.
The group also requested the Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the Lokpal Bill to take into account the viewpoints of different groups of society to make it a unanimously acceptable legislation without any subversion of the authority of Parliament.
The group requested the media to adopt a balanced approach on the issue and give a fair representation to the the marginalised sections of the society.
The signatories who issued the joint statement included former Naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, noted academicians Kamal Mitra Chinoy, Zoya Hasan and D N Jha, journalists Praful Bidwai and R Ramachandran, famous theatre artist M K Raina, noted social activist Afsar Jafri apart from over 50 other eminent personalities from different walks of life. PTI
