Hours after the government withdrew permission to Team Anna to fast at the Jayaprakash Narayan Park here, the BJP on Monday came down heavily on the Manmohan Singh regime and accused it of stifling democracy.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is expected to meet on Tuesday morning to take stock of the situation arising out of the withdrawal of permission to Team Anna and chalk out its strategy before Parliament meets.
BJP president Nitin Gadkari and NDA working chairman L.K. Advani separately told journalists that the dictatorial attitude of the government was against all tenets of democracy and rule of law.
Mr. Gadkari accused the senior functionaries of the government and the Congress of indulging in character assassination of social activist Anna Hazare and questioned why the government negotiated with Team Anna on drafting the Lokpal Bill if the Gandhian was ‘corrupt'.
“The Prime Minister should introspect on this issue ... those who said there was zero corruption in 2G spectrum, those who first called Baba Ramdev a saint and talked to him three-four times, those who talked to Anna Hazare 10 times, then said these people were good,” Mr. Gadkari said.
The BJP said when Baba Ramdev and Mr. Hazare did not fall in line and stood their ground on corruption the government turned against them.
“Now when they [Ramdev and Mr. Hazare] are talking about removing corruption they are being targeted and the government is looking for ways to end their agitation,” Mr. Gadkari said.
The BJP chief asserted that UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Dr. Singh would not be allowed to muzzle dissenting voices.
Mr. Advani said that 2010 was a year of scams and 2011 should culminate into a year of accountability if the government was serious about eradicating corruption.
“When the year 2010 had ended, I had lamented that the year would go down in the Indian history as a year of scams. It is the desire of the country to let 2011 end up as a year of accountability,” Mr. Advani said after hoisting the national flag at his residence here.
Keywords: BJP, Nitin Gadkari, Anna Hazare fast, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, anti-corruption campaign, Lokpal Bill
Such statements are uncalled for, Ms Anu. At this critical hour, the people need all the help they can get. The INC will only listen to the strength of numbers, nothing else. They have no moral qualms. So the need of the hour is unity among everyone possible. The people aren't so foolish that they will let the movement be hijacked so easily
We have seen your drama in Karnataka for the Yedyurappa fiasco. The inabality of a important opposition was disclosed out here.You are unable to fight corruption having corrupted leaders and besides you support the corporate -political nexus which is the root cause of this corruption. Now you are trying to bring back your hidden agenda of hijacking this movement too as you have used Ayodhya movement.
The NDA should join hands and march alongside the people if they care at all about the nation and its people. This regime that crushes any and all dissent and plays with its people, this regime the fiddles with P'mentary procedure while corruption burns the country cannot be allowed to continue. They should be made aware in very clear terms that the Indians know the power of public protest, and the power of the ballot. A people that can shed off a 1000 divisions and cast jitters down the spine of the Empire where the sun never set can also take those worthless individuals at the Center down, however much the police impose Section 144 and barricade parks and streets and buildings.
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