Medha Patkar lauds Anna's movement against corruption

Hyderabad, Jan 9 (ANI): Asserting that veteran social activist Anna Hazare's movement is a good beginning to combat corruption, prominent social activist edha Patkar on Monday said the right to self-rule and empowerment of the people is essential to root out corruption from the country.

Patkar highlighted several issues affecting the masses, with a motive to enlighten the people to take charge and fight their own war against serious maladies like corruption.

"So, we assert now our right to our own rule, our own governance. This is the next step of any movement that seeks to kill corruption. Anna Hazare's movement against corruption, which we are a part of, we support Jan Lokpal," Patkar told mediapersons here on the sidelines of a news conference to spread awareness of National Alliance of People's Movement.

"At the same time, I have just written to the core committee that this one single item agenda is not going to be enough. We have to have a wider vision and wider agenda, innovative programme strategy. Fast after fast will not bring in results and only one law cannot bring in revolution, but a very good beginning is made," she added.

Patkar said that no project should be announced without public consent, as these are ways to amass wealth illegitimately from various sections of society.

"Without their consent, no project should go on because enough is enough. Now, the projects are not for development. It is more for destruction, displacement, which helps the nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, corporates, builders and the foreign investment agencies to earn huge profits at the cost of people, their resources, their basic needs of life and their governance," said Patkar.

"So, this is killing democracy, this is killing natural ecosystem and this is also killing the equity and justice principles enshrined in the Constitution," she added.

Patkar further disapproved the government's decision to allow Reliance Industries Limited to plan a project around its largest gas reserve in the Krishna Godavari basin (KG-D6) close to the eastern coast of India.

"In order to deal with this corruption, which is worth crores of rupees, many 2G spectrum scams are involved in one K-G basin scam and hence, it is necessary according to us, to empower people towards their own self rule and self reliance," said Patkar.

"This is Constitution's Article 243, which was brought in during Rajiv Gandhi's era," she added. (ANI)