New Delhi:
Attacking lawmakers, Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal courted controversy by saying that "rapists, murderers and looters" are sitting in Parliament, with enraged parties claiming that his "outrageous" remark showed that he had no faith in democracy and the Constitution.
"In this Parliament, 163 members have cases of heinous offences against them. In this Parliament, rapists are sitting, murderers and looters are sitting. How can you expect Jan Lokpal Bill to be passed by Parliament? How can you expect that you can get reprieve from poverty and corruption," Kejriwal said at an election rally in Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said it was an insult to Parliament and people of the country who elect MPs and MLAs.
Claiming that such comments weaken democracy, he said the media should not give them publicity.
"Parliament has a majority of those people, who are willing to do anything for the country. They reach there through hard work. Such statements not only insult the democracy and parliament, but also insult the people of the country," he said.
The BJP reacted angrily saying such statements were against Indian democracy, Constitution and Parliament and shows their "arrogant" behaviour.
"While trying to portray themselves as honest, some people create the impression that the whole world is dishonest. Such statements show that such people have no faith on Indian democracy, Indian Constitution and Parliament," BJP general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.
Accepting that there might be some persons in Parliament with "record" but Naqvi said "for them you cannot bring an end to our Parliamentary system or end to our democratic set up. "Such behaviour is unacceptable."
Lok Janshakti Party President Ram Vilas Paswan criticised Kejriwal's remarks and said "it is an attack on democracy... it shows their mentality."
He also criticised the political parties and their leaders for supporting the cause by sharing the stage with them.
"Ask all those who were supporting them by sharing stage with them," Paswan said in a veiled attack on the BJP and other parties whose leaders supported Team Anna's movement.