Anna Hazare begins fast. Gives govt Aug 15 ultimatum

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, June 8, 2011 (PTI):  In the midst of his hunger strike today, Anna Hazare set an ultimatum for the government:  unless it introduces the Lokpal Bill against corruption by August 15, he will begin another hunger fast. 

 

Mr Hazare drew thousands of people to Rajghat where, flanked by other activists who have united for the India Against corruption campaign, he targeted the government for last weekend’s action against Baba Ramdev.   Late on Saturday night, the government instructed the police to dismantle the yoga teacher’s camp where Baba Ramdev was on an indefinite hunger strike, also against corruption - a sort of spin-off movement from Mr Hazare’s.  65,000 people were at the Baba’s camp in Delhi, many of them fast asleep, when the police set out to arrest the Baba and disperse his followers.  As the Baba tried to disappear into the crowds, the police lathicharged and tear-gassed the camp.  The Baba was tracked down and flown back to his ashram in Uttarakhand. 

"A fast is not a crime," said Mr Hazare today to his audience. "This is equal to what happened at Jallianwala Bagh. The only difference is that bullets were not fired." The comparison to the British atrocities has been made throughout this week, both by activists and by Opposition parties who have accused the government of trying to supercede the right to democratic protest.

In an attempt to not repeat its mistakes, the police was present in hundreds at Rajghat today. Mr Hazare said the security meant little to him.  "If our freedom fighters had sought security, we would not have got Independence," he said.

The point of Mr Hazare’s fast is to prove to the government that India is hungry for a tough law against corruption, and that it continues to count on Mr Hazare and his team to deliver that law.  He describes his movement as "the second struggle for Independence."

 

In April, a fast by Mr Hazare that stretched for almost a week became the rallying point for middle class India to demand more accountability from its elected representatives. The government was ripe for attack. Since September, a slew of scandals have hurtled across the national landscape exposing politicians and bureaucrats who conspired, often with India Inc, to swindle the country of thousands of crores.

Mr Hazare got what he wanted from a reluctant government - a committee would be set up to draft the long-delayed Lokpal Bill (Citizen’s Ombudsman bill) and it would give Mr Hazare’s activists equal input with the government. So five ministers teamed up with Mr Hazare and four of his nominees to start work on drafting the new law.

It has been a rocky road since then. The government and Mr Hazare have clashed over basics like whether the new law should cover the Prime Minister. 
There have also been public differences of opinion between civil society activists - Team Anna and Baba Ramdev differed over some key features of the Lokpal Bill till the government’s action against the Ramdev camp united them.  Today, however, Kiran Bedi who is aligned with Mr Hazare chose to distance their group from the Baba over his latest remarks - he said he is grooming an army of 11,000 men and women and they will be trained to fight back if the government tries to repeat what happened at his yoga camp over the weekend.

Ms Bedi tweeted, "No question of supporting which is unlawful and threat to security law and order...the powerful side must show wisdom and restraint. And not let it slip in the hands of opportunists." She added, "The establishment needs to deal with his outfit with wisdom and maturity before we create a serious law and law challenge for future."

No Intention To Quit Lokpal Panel, Says Team Anna

After the action against Baba Ramdev, Mr Hazare and his team boycotted a meeting of the Lokpal Bill drafting committee scheduled for Monday. The government struck back publically, accusing the activists of exiting the negotiation process over unrelated issues like the Ramdev crisis.  Senior minister Kapil Sibal said that the government intends to deliver the Lokpal Bill by the end of this month, with or without the involvement of Team Anna.

Yesterday, Mr Hazare’s team said it would attend the next meeting of the drafting committee on June 15.

"Kapil Sibal has said that whether we come or not, they will go ahead (with the drafting of the Lokpal Bill). Why did that question arise? We had written to (Finance Minister) Pranab Mukherjee that we will not be attending June 6 meeting. We also said that Anna Hazare will not be available on June 10 and so the meeting on that date be postponed. So it makes it clear that we are going to attend meetings. We are not going to leave the committee just like that," said activist Arvind Kejriwal who is one of Mr Hazare’s nominees to the drafting committee.

He also accused Sibal of "putting words in their mouth" and said the government should "tone down arrogance." Despite the five civil society members boycotting the meeting on Monday, the ministers went ahead and finalised some provisions of the proposed Lokpal Bill.

Later, Sibal took objection to the boycott of the meeting by civil society members and said that the committee would do its work "whether or not someone comes".