In a reunion of sorts, social activist Anna Hazare was joined on stage during his protest against the land Acquisition Ordinance by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday at Jantar Mantar. The two shared the dais after nearly a gap of three years. While Kejriwal extended his full support to Hazare’s agitation, he also referred to the Gandhian as a “father figure” and even requested him to visit the Secretariat on Wednesday to “bless them”.
Kejriwal, who arrived at the venue at 3 pm, was lifted up on the stage to join his past mentor in his fight against the latest amendments in the land Acquisition Bill. The newly-elected CM was accompanied by most of the 67 MlAs from the Aam Aadmi Party.
Kejrwial said that the Bill was against people and would make the Centre work like a “property dealer” for corporate houses. “If the Amendment Bill is passed, then this Government will become a property dealer for big companies. We vehemently oppose the Bill. The current Government should learn a lesson,” he said.
Kejriwal added that no Government can last if they make anti-poor or anti-farmer laws. “I want to declare as Delhi CM that no one’s land will be taken away forcibly in Delhi, even if land doesn’t come under our purview.
I’ve noticed that the public gives land happily for social infrastructure projects. We will not let that happen. We support the country-wide agitation against the law under the leadership of Anna Hazare,” he elaborated.
The Chief Minister called the compensation prescribed in the law as “betrayal”. “What they are claiming to be four times the rate is actually a betrayal. Just now someone told me that in Meerut, the circle rate is Rs 2,000, the market rate is Rs 20,000. These people say they will pay four-times which will be Rs 8,000 while the market rate is Rs 20,000. This is betrayal, the entire law is betrayal,” he added.
Kejriwal was among a host of leaders cutting across party lines who joined the agitation on a day the Government introduced the land Acquisition Bill in the lok Sabha amid a walkout by the Opposition. Though Hazare had earlier ruled out sharing stage with any politician, political leaders, including CPI’s Atul Anjan and Vaiko of MDMK were among those sitting on the dais.
The AAP convener and Delhi CM also regarded Hazare as his father figure even asked him to come bless him and his party members in the Secretariat. “Anna, we are with you. I want Anna to step into Delhi Secretariat on Wednesday for 10 minutes. We will be blessed. Anna should address all our heads of departments as well,” he said. Kejriwal and Hazare, the two most prominent faces of the lokpal movement fell apart after Kejriwal decided to launch a political party in October 2012.