Thaindian News

Agra, Oct 22 (IANS) “Anna Hazare will fast again if the Lokpal bill is not passed in the winter session of Parliament,” warned Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal here Saturday.

He said a few days back he had met Anna Hazare “and he told me he was prepared for another fast if the promises made were not kept”.

Kejriwal said Hazare’s movement was not targeted against the Congress. “It could be just any party that shows reluctance to pass the bill.”

Kejriwal clarified that Kiran Bedi, another Team Anna member, had no intention of hiding facts or taking advantage. “Whatever she gained from the air tickets she ploughed back to social service, including an organisation that looks after the children of jail inmates.”

High-profile Team Anna member Kiran Bedi finds herself in a bind over charges that she flies economy class and submits bills for higher class permitted by organisations that invite the Magsaysay award winner.

Kejriwal said: “The ‘janata’ (public) is supreme in our country and not Parliament.”

The Hisar Lok Sabha by-poll earlier this month, he said, had indicated which way the wind was blowing. “I request people of Agra to vote out in the coming elections those who are not clean or do not support the Jan Lokpal bill.”

Kejriwal said Hazare, already 74, had been forced to fast. “If they had accepted the demand for the Lokpal, the fast would not have been necessary.”

He said the movement had had a discernible impact on the mindset of the people, particularly the youth, and corruption was now a major issue that political parties would have to battle.

Kiran Bedi, along with other Team Anna members Manish Sisodia and Kumar Viswas, also addressed the public meeting gathering at MD Jain Inter College which, by Agra standards, was not big.

“Only school children, some NCC cadets and curious onlookers were around. A large number left the ground because the meeting began two hours late,” said Manohar, a banker.