Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare warned the Centre again on Tuesday that if the Jan Lokpal Bill was not introduced in the Winter Session of Parliament, he would go on another round of fast.
On the third day of Team Anna’s week-long referendum on the Jan Lokpal Bill, Hazare trained his guns on the ruling Congress saying he would ask people not to vote for the party. He alleged that the Congress was not interested in eliminating corruption from the country.
Hazare said his team would campaign against the Congress in five states which go to assembly polls next year. He said if the Jan Lokpal Bill was not introduced in the winter session, he would begin indefinite fast three days before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls begin.
For now, Team Anna’s focus has been on the Lok Sabha by-elections in Hisar in Haryana on October 13, which happens to be one of Team Anna’s main campaigners Arvind Kejriwal’s hometown.
“If Congress does not pass the bill in winter session we will oppose them. Most of them are liars. They are responsible for lathi-charge during Baba Ramdev’s fast. We will go to Hisar and advise people not to vote for the Congress,” the Gandhian said at his village Ralegan Siddhi.
Hazare said BJP chief Nitin Gadkari had pledged his party’s support to the anti-corruption campaign. However, he rubbished suggestions that he was aligned with the saffron party.
“People who say that I am with the BJP or the RSS should be sent to a mental asylum. I am not connected to the BJP or the RSS. I have not attended even a single meeting with them,” Hazare said.
Hazare would begin his countrywide tour after Dushehra to convey his message against corruption with the Congress in his line of fire. But it was not only the Congress that came under attack from Hazare. The Gandhian also slammed Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for putting Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Sanjeev Bhatt in jail.
“Sanjeev Bhatt made it clear that the chief minister had summoned them and given them clear instructions… and he gets jailed because of that. This is wrong. When the matter is already before the Supreme Court this interference shows a corrupt motive,” Hazare said.