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Anna breaks his silence, it’s shrill music for UPA
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Friday renewed his attack on the ruling Congress declaring that he would campaign against it in the five States going to polls next year. Questioning the Government’s intention to fight corruption, he said it was trying to weaken the institution of Lokpal.
The Gandhian, who on Friday broke his vow of silence that he undertook on October 16 , would fast for three days from the last day of the Winter Session in case the Lokpal Bill is not passed. He would then proceed to the poll-bound States to campaign against the Congress and hold a one-day dharna in each of them.
He would also tour all the States subsequently.
Hazare maintained that contrary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assurance to him, the Government was trying to weaken the institution of Lokpal by splitting it into parts. He was referring to the Government’s announcement to introduce separate Citizen’s Right to Grievance Redress Bill, Whistleblowers’ Protection Bill, Judicial Accountability Bill, which were part of Team Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill.
On the repeated hike in prices of petroleum products, the Gandhian alleged that there was a nexus between the Government and the oil companies, alluding that the hike was a result of the rampant corruption in governance.
He hailed Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri for the passage of Lokayukta Bill in his State as it was framed on the basis of Jan Lokpal Bill. “We will felicitate Khanduri for his move…he is another fauji like me,” he said, adding that UPA Government should base its Lokpal Bill on the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill. Hazare was slated to meet Khanduri here after his meeting with Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice which was examining the Lokpal Bill.
He said his associates had campaigned against Congress candidate Jai Prakash in the recent Lok Sabha by-election in Hisar as he had failed to get an assurance from party president Sonia Gandhi for support to Jan Lokpal Bill in the forthcoming Parliamentary session.
Hazare had on Monday written in his blog that he and his associates would campaign in the five poll-bound states but would not name any party. “As the Government is trying to weaken the Jan Lokpal Bill, we have decided to campaign against the Congress,” he said claiming that the campaign by his associates in Hisar had resulted in Congress candidate Jai Prakash losing his security deposit.
On his threat to campaign against the Congress even though the Bill was yet to be introduced in the forthcoming session, Hazare said it was not a threat but he sought to remind the Government about the legislation as some Ministers and party leaders were busy targeting him and his associates.
Hazare said though he would appeal to the people to vote against the Congress, he would not speak in favour of the BJP either. “If one party has obtained graduation (in corruption), the other has got doctorate degree,” he maintained.
Hazare even sought to disown his blogger Raju Parulekar for saying on his behalf that the core committee of India Against Corruption would be dissolved and replaced with a pan-Indian structure. “I have not talked to him or met him. I will stop writing (in my blog) if his writing is not satisfactory,” he said.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Friday renewed his attack on the ruling Congress declaring that he would campaign against it in the five States going to polls next year. Questioning the Government’s intention to fight corruption, he said it was trying to weaken the institution of Lokpal.
The Gandhian, who on Friday broke his vow of silence that he undertook on October 16 , would fast for three days from the last day of the Winter Session in case the Lokpal Bill is not passed. He would then proceed to the poll-bound States to campaign against the Congress and hold a one-day dharna in each of them.
He would also tour all the States subsequently.
Hazare maintained that contrary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assurance to him, the Government was trying to weaken the institution of Lokpal by splitting it into parts. He was referring to the Government’s announcement to introduce separate Citizen’s Right to Grievance Redress Bill, Whistleblowers’ Protection Bill, Judicial Accountability Bill, which were part of Team Anna’s Jan Lokpal Bill.
On the repeated hike in prices of petroleum products, the Gandhian alleged that there was a nexus between the Government and the oil companies, alluding that the hike was a result of the rampant corruption in governance.
He hailed Uttarakhand Chief Minister BC Khanduri for the passage of Lokayukta Bill in his State as it was framed on the basis of Jan Lokpal Bill. “We will felicitate Khanduri for his move…he is another fauji like me,” he said, adding that UPA Government should base its Lokpal Bill on the Uttarakhand Lokayukta Bill. Hazare was slated to meet Khanduri here after his meeting with Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice which was examining the Lokpal Bill.
He said his associates had campaigned against Congress candidate Jai Prakash in the recent Lok Sabha by-election in Hisar as he had failed to get an assurance from party president Sonia Gandhi for support to Jan Lokpal Bill in the forthcoming Parliamentary session.
Hazare had on Monday written in his blog that he and his associates would campaign in the five poll-bound states but would not name any party. “As the Government is trying to weaken the Jan Lokpal Bill, we have decided to campaign against the Congress,” he said claiming that the campaign by his associates in Hisar had resulted in Congress candidate Jai Prakash losing his security deposit.
On his threat to campaign against the Congress even though the Bill was yet to be introduced in the forthcoming session, Hazare said it was not a threat but he sought to remind the Government about the legislation as some Ministers and party leaders were busy targeting him and his associates.
Hazare said though he would appeal to the people to vote against the Congress, he would not speak in favour of the BJP either. “If one party has obtained graduation (in corruption), the other has got doctorate degree,” he maintained.
Hazare even sought to disown his blogger Raju Parulekar for saying on his behalf that the core committee of India Against Corruption would be dissolved and replaced with a pan-Indian structure. “I have not talked to him or met him. I will stop writing (in my blog) if his writing is not satisfactory,” he said.
