ID :
201489
Mon, 08/15/2011 - 22:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/201489
The shortlink copeid
Anna calls for 'Jail Bharo'
New Delhi, Aug 15 (PTI) Social activist Anna Hazare is
all set for a full blown confrontation with the government on
the Lokpal bill(anti-corruption ombudsman bill), giving a call
to his supporters to fill up jails all over the country if he
is arrested Tuesday after he was denied permission to hold
indefinite fast here.
Addressing a press conference after Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh slammed him for resorting to fast as a protest
when Parliament was seized of the Lokpal bill, the Gandhian
said he will go to J P park Tuesday, the venue of his fast
even though Delhi police has imposed prohibitory orders.
"I come to understand that I will be refused permission.
We will go there. If I am arrested, I will continue my hunger
strike in the jail. If I am released, I will go back to the
venue and this circle will continue," he said at a 30-minute
press conference that came to an end to coincide with his
"lights-off" call throughout the country from 8 pm.
He said once he is arrested, people should fill up the
jails in every village across the country. "Going to jail for
the country is no crime...It is a decoration," he said.
He accused the Prime Minister of "speaking" the language
of his ministerial colleague Kapil Sibal saying that the
Lokpal bill was before Parliament which will take the call.
Before his press conference, the 73-year old activist
made an unscheduled visit to Rajghat, where he sat in
meditation. Soon after the news of his being at the Mahatama
Gandhi Samadhi, hundreds of supporters gathered around him.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police refused permission to
Gandhian and his supporters saying that team Hazare have
refused to give an undertaking on restricting the number of
days of protest and protesters besides four other conditions.
Sudhir Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern
Range), said anybody assembling at the Park Tuesday would
face legal action.
"We have denied the permission. Nobody is supposed to
come to the park. If somebody comes there, it is unlawful.
They will be handled according to law. If they do that, it is
violation of law," Yadav said as police prepared to lock down
the grounds.
Union Home Secretary R K Singh reviewed the situation
with Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta and other top
officials at the police headquarters.
Hazare's protest on Tuesday is in pursuit of his campaign
for a strong Lokpal that will have under its ambit Prime
Minister, higher judiciary, conduct of Members of
Parliament(MPs) in Parliament and other provisions. The bill
introduced in Parliament excludes these institutions.
In his speech at the Red Fort Monday morning, the Prime
Minister decried Hazare going on fast and said Parliament
alone will decide on Lokpal and those having grievances should
approach Parliamentary Committees for airing their views.
At his press conference, Hazare said corruption has
crossed all limits and is all pervasive in various sectors,
including education and jobs.
He said even after Jan Lokpal is passed, there is no
guarantee that corruption will be eliminated 100 per cent but
he was confident that it would end at least up to 60-65 per
cent. "If it does not happen, I am ready to serve water at
Kapil Sibal's house," he said.
Hazare said the fight against corruption has just begin
and will not stop even if Lokpal bill passed. The struggle for
the change will continue and it is a long battle, he said.
"It is now a fight to the finish," he said, adding they
were not for pulling down the government but if falls in the
process, they don't care.
He also said his protest will be non-violent because non
-violence was a powerful weapon.
Referring to the Prime Minister's remarks that the Lokpal
bill was before Parliament, he said "We have to accept
Parliament. We have trust in Parliament but the bill that has
gone before it is not proper."
The activist said the provisions like appointment and
removal of Lokpal were serious issues on which government made
promises but suddenly it changed its stand and "betrayed us".
Speaking about repeated assertions from the government's
side that he was undermining democracy, he said, "Don't we
know democracy. Is democracy only wining elections after
spending money. Four MPs are in jail and there are charges
against nearly 150 others."
Hazare said government was working only for big
industrialists acquiring lands from farmers and was not
working for the poor.
all set for a full blown confrontation with the government on
the Lokpal bill(anti-corruption ombudsman bill), giving a call
to his supporters to fill up jails all over the country if he
is arrested Tuesday after he was denied permission to hold
indefinite fast here.
Addressing a press conference after Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh slammed him for resorting to fast as a protest
when Parliament was seized of the Lokpal bill, the Gandhian
said he will go to J P park Tuesday, the venue of his fast
even though Delhi police has imposed prohibitory orders.
"I come to understand that I will be refused permission.
We will go there. If I am arrested, I will continue my hunger
strike in the jail. If I am released, I will go back to the
venue and this circle will continue," he said at a 30-minute
press conference that came to an end to coincide with his
"lights-off" call throughout the country from 8 pm.
He said once he is arrested, people should fill up the
jails in every village across the country. "Going to jail for
the country is no crime...It is a decoration," he said.
He accused the Prime Minister of "speaking" the language
of his ministerial colleague Kapil Sibal saying that the
Lokpal bill was before Parliament which will take the call.
Before his press conference, the 73-year old activist
made an unscheduled visit to Rajghat, where he sat in
meditation. Soon after the news of his being at the Mahatama
Gandhi Samadhi, hundreds of supporters gathered around him.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police refused permission to
Gandhian and his supporters saying that team Hazare have
refused to give an undertaking on restricting the number of
days of protest and protesters besides four other conditions.
Sudhir Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Northern
Range), said anybody assembling at the Park Tuesday would
face legal action.
"We have denied the permission. Nobody is supposed to
come to the park. If somebody comes there, it is unlawful.
They will be handled according to law. If they do that, it is
violation of law," Yadav said as police prepared to lock down
the grounds.
Union Home Secretary R K Singh reviewed the situation
with Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta and other top
officials at the police headquarters.
Hazare's protest on Tuesday is in pursuit of his campaign
for a strong Lokpal that will have under its ambit Prime
Minister, higher judiciary, conduct of Members of
Parliament(MPs) in Parliament and other provisions. The bill
introduced in Parliament excludes these institutions.
In his speech at the Red Fort Monday morning, the Prime
Minister decried Hazare going on fast and said Parliament
alone will decide on Lokpal and those having grievances should
approach Parliamentary Committees for airing their views.
At his press conference, Hazare said corruption has
crossed all limits and is all pervasive in various sectors,
including education and jobs.
He said even after Jan Lokpal is passed, there is no
guarantee that corruption will be eliminated 100 per cent but
he was confident that it would end at least up to 60-65 per
cent. "If it does not happen, I am ready to serve water at
Kapil Sibal's house," he said.
Hazare said the fight against corruption has just begin
and will not stop even if Lokpal bill passed. The struggle for
the change will continue and it is a long battle, he said.
"It is now a fight to the finish," he said, adding they
were not for pulling down the government but if falls in the
process, they don't care.
He also said his protest will be non-violent because non
-violence was a powerful weapon.
Referring to the Prime Minister's remarks that the Lokpal
bill was before Parliament, he said "We have to accept
Parliament. We have trust in Parliament but the bill that has
gone before it is not proper."
The activist said the provisions like appointment and
removal of Lokpal were serious issues on which government made
promises but suddenly it changed its stand and "betrayed us".
Speaking about repeated assertions from the government's
side that he was undermining democracy, he said, "Don't we
know democracy. Is democracy only wining elections after
spending money. Four MPs are in jail and there are charges
against nearly 150 others."
Hazare said government was working only for big
industrialists acquiring lands from farmers and was not
working for the poor.
