Lokpal: CPI slams Team Anna

Addressing a press conference here, Bardhan said: "What does a civil society mean? Who are its members? Can they speak on behalf of the entire country? The five members have an exaggerated notion about themselves. One must be modest."

"I agree with most of the points in the draft on the bill by the civil society. I have all the respect for them. They are my friends. But I want to ask them if they have touched the source of corruption?" he said.

He criticized the Jan Lokpal Bill and said it won't help India uproot corruption.

"Those who think Lokpal can uproot corruption once it comes into operation, are living in a fool's paradise. There is an unending nexus between corporate houses, bureaucrats and politicians that is the fertile sources of corruption in the country," said Bardhan.

The five members of the civil society in the Lokpal drafting panel are Anna Hazare, N. Santosh Hedge, Shanti Bhushan, Prashan Bhushan and Shri Arvind Kejriwal.

Formed after a fast-unto-death by the 73-year-old Hazare, the unprecedented 10-member team, seeing equal participation of the government ministers and civil society activists, aims to draft a tough anti-graft bill pushed back for 42 years.

The final draft is scheduled to be submitted before the Cabinet on June 30 and will be taken up during the monsoon session of the Parliament starting Aug 1.