Get the Lokpal bill passed or go, Hazare tells Govt

New Delhi, Aug 21 (PTI) Anna Hazare Sunday warned of
"unprecedented revolution" in India if Lokpal Bill is
not passed by August 30 and said the Government will have to
"either get the Bill passed or go."
Accusing the Indian government of "betraying" the civil
society on the Lokpal issue, Hazare, whose fast entered the
sixth day Sunday, told a large gathering of his supporters at
the Ramlila Maidan here that the government is not "honest" in
its intent to fight corruption.
"If the Government does not get the Lokpal Bill passed by
August 30 there would be an unprecedented revolution in the
country by the people.... The government will have to either
get the Bill passed (in Parliament) or go," he said after a
large number of people marched from India Gate to the Maidan
expressing solidarity with him.
Calling his campaign against corruption as the beginning
of "second struggle for Independence", the 73-year-old
Gandhian asked the youth to keep the "flame of revolution
burning whether Anna is alive or not."
Noting that he has been fighting against corruption for
the past 20 years, Hazare said the government betrayed them on
the Lokpal issue despite constituting a joint committee for
drafting the Bill.
"They constituted a joint committee after my fast in
April. But nothing came out of that meeting despite talking
for two months. They betrayed the civil society.... The
government's intention to fight corruption is not noble," he
said.
Recalling the events leading to his arrest by the Delhi
Police on Tuesday before he was to launch his indefinite fast
at J P Park, Hazare said the police came and took him and some
of his associates and later told them that they have been
arrested.
Hazare said, "We told them that we are not scared of
getting arrested. Only people who commit crime are scared of
arrest, people who go to jail for the cause of the nation are
proud of getting arrested."
He said within hours after he was lodged in Tihar Jail, a
police officer came to him and said that he was being
released.
"I told him that I will not leave the jail until
Parliament passes the Jan Lokpal Bill. I told him very
clearly...," he said.
"The fight has begun now.... The youth should be ready
for the fight," he told the gathering.
Hazare also recalled the struggle in the run up to RTI
Act being passed in Parliament and said the legislation has
now brought scams like 2G and Adarsh to light.
"They have been brought to light because of the RTI Act.
We fought for the RTI Act. I have fasted on many occasions
for many causes," he said.
Hazare said there was no "dark spot" in his life
otherwise his opponents would have "broken my life".
Lawyer and Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan said the
Prime Minister should be brought under the ambit of the
Lokpal.
"The government says if the Prime Minister is
investigated for corruption charges, the government will be
shaken. But if the Prime Minister is corrupt and no
investigation is done, this will be a great danger to the
country's security," he said.
Bhushan also said the Team Anna was ready to talk to the
Government, but would not compromise on its core issues. "We
are ready to talk if they are ready. Our Jan Lokpal Bill has
been amended 13 times. All suggestions have been included," he
said.
He said that the government can incorporate main points
of the Jan Lokpal in its Bill and if they suggest any better
system "we are ready to discuss that also".
Bhushan also demanded that the government bring a strong
Judicial Accountability Bill along with the Lokpal Bill.