Chandigarh/New Delhi, July 31 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has supported veteran social activist Anna Hazare's forthcoming fast-unto-death protest over the draft Lokpal Bill.
Hazare's proposed fast is to protest the Lokpal Bill approved by the Union Cabinet that excludes the Prime Minster and lower bureaucracy from its ambit.
Speaking at a seminar in Chandigarh on Saturday, BJP President Nitin Gadkari said: "Does Anna Hazare have no right to sit on fast-unto-death in a democracy? Is he being asked not to do so? He would be told that more than 2,000 people are not allowed to gather for his support? If he would sit, he would also bear the burnt of it as Ramdev Baba has faced."
"He would be asked to go back else face the consequences? Is this the right face of current state of democracy? My dear brother and sisters, both times the Congress government was saved by bribing the lawmakers and all big leaders are responsible for it," he added.
Delhi Police on Friday denied Hazare permission to hold an indefinite hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 16.
The Delhi Police referred to the Supreme Court's 2009 order to deny team Anna permission for the indefinite strike anywhere in Delhi.
The police, in its letter to Hazare, said that as Parliament would be in session, no group could be allowed to capture the entire space at Jantar Mantar, as many groups come out on protests during that period.
The letter further states that if team Anna wished they could hold their strikes in Delhi's outskirts, or give a definite time limit during which they would be allowed a sit-in protest.
Charging the government of bringing a fractured Lokpal Bill, Hazare had said on Thursday in Maharashtra's Ralegaon Siddi town that he would protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on August 16.
"The entire country will protest with me at Jantar Mantar on August 16...This is not Hazare's protest but the entire country's. The people need to look at this as a second fight for their freedom and they should all come out on the streets," Hazare said.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the official draft of the Lokpal Bill and trashed the key proposals moved by Team Anna. (ANI)
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