"We'll continue our fight against corruption with voters' awareness programme'
With serious concerns rising over his health, 74-year-old Anna Hazare on Wednesday cut short his three-day hunger strike for an effective Lok Pal Bill, and also deferred a jail bharo campaign and gherao of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi's residence.
“We will continue our fight against corruption with a voters' awareness programme,” the social activist said after he abruptly called off the fast on its second day here.
“We need to change our strategy to fight corruption...we will tirelessly campaign against the people who have opposed a strong Lokpal Bill. Both during the coming Assembly elections and in the Lok Sabha elections two years down the line.”
Mr. Hazare who accepted juice from Pratidnya Patangare, a small girl from his village Ralegan Siddhi, appealed to the public to continue their support for the agitation, “In the last five months, the United Progressive Alliance government betrayed us ... Considering the developments of the last few days and the way the government has presented us with a toothless tool for fighting corruption, I am convinced that they have no intentions of ever drafting a Bill that stops corruption.”
Mr. Hazare was suffering from a viral infection and even though his temperature dropped from 102 to 100 degree F, doctors strongly discouraged him from fasting anymore. He, however, continued with his protest until the surprise announcement midway through his fast on the MMRDA ground, which saw a slight increase in turnout on Wednesday evening after a lull in the public participation on day one.
Mr. Hazare, who addressed the media after ending his fast, accused Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram of having hatched a plan during his agitation in Delhi in August, to get him out of the prison and forcibly fly him to Pune — similar to the treatment meted out to yoga guru Baba Ramdev.
“The government first arrested me on grounds that the agitation will lead to violence and then released me within hours but their game plan failed since I saw through it.”
Mr. Hazare admitted that he had no reasons to oppose any party other than the UPA, “Congress has cheated us the maximum,” he said.
Keywords: Anna Hazare fast, Hazare health condition, Team Anna, anti-corruption movement, Lokpal Bill
There is no doubt that corruption is rampant in india. Even the higher judiciary is not exempt form this metastatic cancer. In the recent past the worlds biggest democracy with a billion plus population witnessed a massive spring against this cancer. It may appear to have lost its force but it is bound to rebound with the new strength. With economic strength, indian politics is being closely watched by west.
I regard Anna Hazare and his team as ceaseless crusader against corruption. They are not fighting for themselves they are fighting behalf of us. Their victory represents victory for us not for themselves.Even though our politician didn't succeed in passing the bill in parliament, Annaji succeeded in enlightening us against corruption. I perceive that hour of clock is ticking for people of
India to clean up corruption mess. They should show their resolve
against any corruption action. Really Anna Hazare and his team
members are role models for youth like me!!
The right to fight a corrupt government is a fundamental right and Anna has done a great job. Those who oppose Anna and his movement have their own compulsions. Anna is not fighting for himself but for the entire nation.
Anna sir need not feel upset over his temperature.He could take medicines and complete rest.May be the heat raised by anger against corruption and congress would not cool down immediately.He has more time.The corruption would be there and also more corruption in this country.The biggest corruption is the gathering of masses behind someone all the times.Rolling stones may not gather mass but These masses gather and make leaders roll.
Who will be interested in vehementally opposing Anna Hazare and his team? The people of India know the answer. The answer clearly is: the corrupt politicians who rule the country. That is why the partisan crowd on the electronic media is trying hard to convince the people that they are being misled by Anna Hazare and his team.
Now you are showing your right face with Congress. You are a social worker and you should not carry any political party label as your friends and enemies. If you really wanted to follow up Gandhiji, you atleast pretended to act as Gandhiji with straight forward approach and then you would not feel that you are cheated but will have tolerance.
Not only congress does not want to bring the strong lokpal. All the other perties as well does not want to bring the strong lokpal. We really need a strong constitutional authority to monitor the central and state government to take away the country from corruption.
No thinking Indian, concerned about his/her children and grandchildren, can allow the unchecked continuation of corruption and bribery in India; even the Indian President lamented, “Corruption is a cancer affecting our nation's political, economic, cultural and social life” (The Hindu, 14.8.11). Indian Independence took 90 yrs from the Sepoy Mutiny & 141 yrs from the Vellore Mutiny; even when Gandhiji had a plan, it took 30 yrs! Gandhiji’s first INC meeting involved reading a plea, duly passed but not listened to, and voluntarily cleaning the filthy toilets of the Members! So, why should the anti-corruption crusaders be disheartened by a low turn-out in a city preeminent in business & finance? The citizens, united in their resolve, are probably focusing on the issues – comprehensively & pragmatically from implementation & compliance viewpoints , in a non-party-political way, & redoubling their efforts to explain what is at stake and broaden support including political support.
After his damp squib reception in Mumbai, I hope Hazare realizes that a) contrary to media reports (including the biased reports in the Hindu) corruption is not as highly ranked in the voting public's mind as he imagined, b) that a draconian, punitive law by itself means nothing without an efficient and incorruptible police and judicial process,the stress being on the word"incorruptible" c) that corruption is not confined to politicians but runs like a flood through every segment of Indian society d) that bias and corruption can affect the very elite people (judges, CECs and CAG) that he hopes to populate his Lok Pal with as it can affect politicians e) that by allowing an elite group to sit above Parliament he is actually subverting democracy's gift to the dispossessed and f) that Parliament should be allowed to decide these matters because they have been elected by the ordinary citizens of this country - the Chinnaswamis and the Daulat Rams.
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