Hazare trashes draft lokpal bill; says stir will continue
20 Dec 2011
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare today rejected government's drafts for the lokpal and citizens' charters bill, saying he will go on a fast, organise a 'jail bharo andolan' (fill the jails movement), and campaign against the government in five election-bound states.
He said in Pune, near his home village of Ralegon Siddhi, that he would fast for three days from 27 December, followed by a three-day 'jail bharo' agitation. ''After this, I will go to five states (where assembly polls are due) and campaign against the (Congress-led) governments," Anna said.
Alleging that the government is ignoring the voice of the people, Hazare said, "The common man's life has become miserable due to all-pervasive corruption. But the government has become blind. It cannot see or hear the suffering of the people."
He added, "Let the government go its way, we will go our way. I have decided that I will continue to fight (for a stronger bill) till there is life in me."
Asked if he agreed with the provisions of the draft sought to be tabled in Parliament, he said, "We say, bring in whatever draft, but end corruption."
Anna was also opposed to centralisation of the grievance redress mechanism in the draft bill. "For a ration card, you will need to go to Delhi," he said, adding Uttarakhand had brought a good lokayukta bill for a state-level ombudsman.
"The government thinks it will not be affected by my fast, but the public will teach them a lesson. Government is cheating the people of this country," he said.
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said, "In our jan lokpal bill, we had provided for redress mechanism at the block level."
