Monday, August 15, 2011

PM has started speaking like Kapil Sibal: Anna Hazare

If government falls, we don't care, says Anna

New Delhi: Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday lashed out at the government accusing it of misusing its power and said that the Prime Minister has also started speaking like Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal. "I had great regard for the Prime Minister, but he has also started speaking the language of minister Kapil Sibal," Anna said.

Quoting the Prime Minister's Independence Day speech about the Lokpal Bill and the procedure in Parliament, Anna said that he trusts Parliament but not its members. He also said that though Parliament will pass the bill, but the major concern is to hand over the right bill to Parliament. "The government doesn't have the will power to bring the right Lokpal Bill. If the right Lokpal Bill comes, 60 to 65 per cent corruption will be wiped off," he said.

Anna also called for a 'jail bharo aandolan', saying that going to jail for betterment of the country is good.

Addressing the nation a day before his fast, Anna made it clear that he will start his fast from August 16 despite being denied permission.

Defending his fight against corruption, Anna said that his fight will continue till his last breath. He also said that he has no intentions of bringing down the government. "If the government doesn't understand the intentions of the common man, then we don't care even if the government falls," he said.

He also laid stress on the farmers' plight in the country saying that the government is only concerned on giving land to industrialists. "They fire, carry out lathicharge upon farmers and the poor people to give land. The government is not concerned about farmers," he said.

"Farmers were fired upon in Pune, this is not the right independence. We have to talk and fight for change," he added.

Section 144 imposed at the fast venue, but Anna to go ahead with fast

Section 144 has been imposed at the JP Park, the venue where Anna Hazare is supposed to fast from August 16. Heavy security has also been deployed at the venue.

The Delhi Police rejected the undertaking given by Team Anna on Monday after they refused to accept some of the key conditions set.

The conditions that were not accepted by the Hazare team were capping the day of protest to three and the number of protestors to below 5,000, government doctors to check on Hazare, ban on use of loudspeakers after 9 pm, limiting the number of vehicles to 50 cars and 50 motorcycles in parking and that no tent be erected.

The police move to reject the application came soon after the Hazare team submitted an undertaking leaving six out of the 22 conditions laid out by Delhi Police for granting permission for the fast at the park.

Anna said that they are ready to court arrest if they are not allowed to fast at the JP Park in the national capital from August 16. He also said that once released, they will return back to the same venue and fast again.

If government falls, we don't care, says Anna

NEW DELHI: Expressing his desire that the Lokpal bill will be a reality soon, social activist Anna Hazare said, "We are not interested in pulling down the government but during our fight for change, if it falls, we don't care."

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday, he said, "there has to be a mass uprising to bring about a change." He also said that he will live and die for the country.

He reiterated that he will be starting his fast from tomorrow. He also called for a revolution to "fight against the government and change the system". He added that he has faith in the country's parliament but the government was not producing the correct version of the Lokpal bill before it.

"We believe completely in the country's parliament but the government is producing the flawed version of the bill before it," said Hazare reacting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement that the Lokpal bill had been introduced in parliament.

Hazare further said that the fight for a stringent Lokpal bill is fine, but there is a need for a revolution to change the prevalent system in the country.

"A revolution on a much larger scale is the need of the hour to fight against the government and change the system," he said.

"This is a fight for change and till the time our system doesn't change we won't progress. Even after 64 years there is corruption and scams, what is the use of this Independence? This freedom is not right," said Hazare.

"The government is only concerned about power and money," he added.

Hazare is scheduled to begin a hunger strike to press for a stronger Lokpal bill from Tuesday but has been denied permission by the Delhi Police to do so.

Centre won't interfere

The Centre has decided not to interfere with the decision of Delhi Police's refusal of permission to Anna Hazare to hold his protest fast, saying the force has taken the stand on its own and it was fully capable of dealing with any situation.

"The home ministry will not interfere in the decision of Delhi Police. We have nothing to do with it," the official said.

A home ministry official said the Delhi Police took the decision of denying permission to Team Anna to stage the protest since they refused to comply with its set conditions which are applicable to any group which wanted to stage any protest in the national capital.

The Centre also thinks that Delhi Police are capable of dealing with any situation arising out of Hazare's announcement that he would go ahead with the protest despite the refusal of the permission.

"If they (Team Anna) decide to go ahead with their programme defying the order, law will take its own course," the official said.

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