The the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress are delaying progress on the lokpal Bill, said social activist Anna Hazare. He said that the demand for a lokpal is being raised for about six years now but the governments of both the parties have done little in this direction. Taking advantage of the opposition’s weakness, the current government is also dithering on the lokpal Bill, he opined while speaking at a Press conference at Kathgodam in Haldwani on Monday.
Hazare said that a Satyagraha at Jantar Mantar in the national Capital will be aimed at rousing the government to action on this issue. He had toured 22 states so far to garner support for making the demonstration a success. Hazare was in Haldwani to elicit support for the Satyagraha slated to start on March 23. Addressing the media, he lambasted both the Congress and the BJP for not doing the needful for bringing about a strong lokpal. “The movement demanding a strong lokpal has been going on since 2011 but the government is not bringing the Bill in parliament in order to protect its ministers and supporters. The Satyagraha starting on March 23 will be a decisive struggle being undertaken to awaken the public. The movement is also receiving the support of the people,” he said.
Hazare further opined that presently the system was shifting from democracy towards totalitarianism.
In reply to a question, he said that those who had opted for politics during the movement for lokpal in the past have been kept away from the movement this time.
Those who have been involved in the organisation for the movement this time, will have to sign a stamp paper on which it is written that they will not be contesting elections in the future.
Those who end up going against the documentary assurance will be taken to court, he said, while adding that so far about 5,000 people had signed and submitted the said stamp papers to him.
The social activist later addressed a public gathering in the area, exhorting the people to join forces in order to get a strong lokpal to control corruption in the nation.