Government, Hazare square off on anti corruption crusade

New Delhi/Ahmedabad/Muzaffarnagar/Pune, Aug.15 (ANI): Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday described Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's speech on the occasion of India's 65th Independence Day as disappointing.

With Dr.Singh questioning the need for Hazare to go on a fast over the Lokpal issue, the Gandhian's team called him an "insensitive" person who was asking the people of the country to fall in line on the issue.

Former senior police officer Kiran Bedi claimed that the people of India have no trust left in the UPA Government and added that it had squandered an opportunity to make history by enacting a strong anti-corruption ombdusman.

Responding to Dr.Singh assertion that those who are opposed to the bill should not resort to hunger strikes and fasts-unto-death, Bedi said: "He speaks like a final arbiter. He says you cannot protest. This is a direct imposition of a bill on people against their will. The Prime Minister is imposing a bill on the country and saying protest fast is wrong. The PM is asking people to fall in line."

"He is insensitive to people's perception. Surveys after surveys and referendums after referendums showed that people rejected the government's Lokpal Bill. He is not taking this into account," she added.

"The fast is against imposition of a 'dhokha' (betrayal) bill which excludes more than what it includes. Fasting is the only way and we are now being asked to fall in line," she said.

Noting that the Prime Minister did not elaborate in his speech about what kind of Lokpal he envisioned, she said Singh should have told the nation that an overwhelming majority has rejected the government version of the bill and that he would be withdrawing the measure.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police appeared to be headed for a showdown with civil society activists on the issue of venue to be used for the fast. Police officials are insisting that the activists give an undertaking that their agitation will end in three days.

The Hazare team has warned that they would court arrest at the Jai Prakash Narain Park and would not give an undertaking to the police that the protest would end by 6 p.m.Thursday. The activists have also refused to limit the number of protesters to 5,000. The police have imposed 22 other conditions, most of which the activists are ready to comply with.

A senior police official said permission is unlikely to be granted to Hazare unless a "proper and full" undertaking is submitted to them. "We are yet to get any undertaking. If they don't give a proper and full undertaking, then permission is unlikely," the official said.

The Hazare Team said the conditions laid out by police was "unconstitutional".

The ruling Congress party has accused Hazare of corruption, quoting Justice Sawant Commission report against Anna.

Hazare has hit back at the Congress, daring its leaders to declare the source of party funding.

Bringing the 74-year-old anti-graft crusader directly in line of fire of the Congress for the first time, party spokesman Manish Tewari cited Justice P B Sawant Commission to allege it had ripped apart the "moral core" of Hazare as it "found him steeped in corruption from head to toe".

As the two sides geared up for a showdown, Tewari asked the social activist to clarify its "serious findings" against him and his trusts before launching the agitation.

The Sawant Commission had probed corruption charges levelled by Hazare in 2003 against four ministers in the then Maharashtra government and also allegations of irregularities against Trusts run by him.

"I want the government to lodge an FIR against me and conduct an inquiry," Hazare said describing as baseless the allegations of the Congress.

Hazare said he will not call off his proposed fast on the Lokpal issue till his name is cleared or the charges are proved.

"Even if Jan Lokpal Bill (the version of civil society) is cleared in Parliament, I will not call off my indefinite fast, till the charges levelled against are proved or my name is cleared. Is this how people are maligned?" Hazare asked.

"Congress receives crores of rupees as donation from people. Where are the details? Who knows about it?" Hazare asked, as activist Arvind Kejriwal demanded that Congress make public its source of funding within 24 hours.

Sawant, whose probe found that an amount of Rs 2.2 lakhs was diverted from Hazare's trust for his birthday celebrations, said this action amounted to "corruption."

Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal rejected Hazare's contention that it was crushing his constitutional rights by not allowing his protest at a desired venue, saying the right to protest does not mean right to protest at the place of "your choice".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supported Hazare's crusade against corruption and formation of an effective Lokpal.

Addressing a public function in Ahmedabad, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said he would perform the task of 'cleaning up' all the corrupt sectors in the state, so that social activists like Hazare do not have to go on indefinite hunger strikes.

He also accused the Congress party of adopting double standards when it concerns corruption and nepotism.

Senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh said the prime minister must come under the purview of the Lokpal.

He said this while interacting with the media in Muzzafarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

"I want to tell you that when Lokpal bill was first introduced in the Parliament when Atal Behari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. Vajpayee had said that the Prime Minister should also be under the purview of the Lokpal Bill. We can never go against Atal Behari Vajpayee. Even BJP wants that the Prime Minister should be under the purview of the Lokpal body," said Singh.

BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar said in Pune, Maharashtra that the government and police must only intervene, if the protests go out of hand.

He also said the government must not lay down unnecessary conditions before the Hazare team. (ANI)