‘Betrayed’ Anna warns of a fresh round of fast

Angry with the Centre’s refusal to introduce a strong Lokpal bill in Parliament, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Tuesday announced he would undertake a fast unto death from December 27 at Ramlila ground in New Delhi.

He said this while speaking to the media in his native village of Ralegan Siddhi on Tuesday. “The government had promised to pass a strong Lokpal bill during the winter session of Parliament. But it seems the government is in no mood to keep its promise. So, I would be embarking on a fast unto death from December 27 at the Ramlila ground after the winter session of Parliament,” he said.

Earlier, Hazare had announced that he would undertake just a daylong dharna on December 11 at the Jantar Mantar to pressurise the government to pass a strong Jan Lokpal bill.

Hazare had withdrawn his 12-day-long fast, at the Ramlila grounds in New Delhi, only after the prime minister had given in writing an assurance of including the four “cardinal” points in the government's version of the Lokpal bill and pass it during the winter session of Parliament. The four points were: Inclusion of the lower bureaucracy within the gambit of the Lokpal bill, as also the judiciary, setting up of the Lok Ayukta system in all states and the drawing up a citizen’s charter in the Lokpal bill.

“The government is out to betray the trust of the people and thus, I have decided to take to the path of non-violent protest,” he said. Sources close to Hazare told DNA, that to date no effort has been made by the Congress-led UPA-II government to list the Lokpal in the schedule for the business of the house. Also, the bill that would be brought before Parliament has many flaws which renders it ineffective and weak.

According to the view in Team Anna, in the section dealing with judiciary, no efforts have been made to investigate allegations of bribery. Also, the lower bureaucracy has been kept away from the ambit of the bill that is scheduled to be brought before Parliament.

Speaking to DNA, Shiv Sena MP Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil said the government was not keen on introducing the Lokpal bill during the winter session. “The government’s intention can be well gauged given its hard stance and unyielding stance on the issue of FDI.

This is a ploy on its part to hold the opposition vicariously responsible for the disruption of the business of the house and thus escape from introducing the bill,” he said.

Patil also said MPs had not received the customary intimation from the government for the introduction of any bill during this session. “However, personally I feel, the government would be compelled to introduce the Lokpal bill given the strong public pressure,” he said.