Hazare renews ‘jail bharo’ threat over ‘weak’ Lokpal bill
December 22nd, 2011 - 7:57 pm ICT by IANS
Ralegan Siddhi (Maharashtra), Dec 22 (IANS) Reiterating that the Lokpal bill tabled in parliament Thursday is “weak”, social activist Anna Hazare said that it will not eradicate corruption and reissued his threat of a “jail bharo” agitation next week.
Speaking to reporters at his home village in Parner taluka (sub-district) of Ahmednagar district, he also repeated his threat to stage a sit-in and court arrest outside Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s residence in New Delhi.
Hazare said the poor in the country are the worst affected by corruption and that the bill tabled will in no way help eradicate corruption at the ground level.
He also questioned the government on the contentious issue of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) asking: “Why is it afraid of bringing the investigating agency within the ambit of the Lokpal?”
Hazare earlier Thursday called the bill “useless”. “Unless you bring the CBI within the ambit of the Lokpal, it will serve no purpose,” he reiterated.
Stating that he would go on a three-day hunger strike from Dec 27-29 in Mumbai, Hazare renewed his threat of launching a “jail bharo” agitation.
“My ‘jail bharo’ protest will be outside the residence of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
Condemning the government, Hazare said it lacked the will power to curb rampant corruption in the country.
He urged the people not to vote for those who have opposed the Jan Lokpal bill. “The whole exercise of drafting the anti-graft bill was a useless effort,” Hazare said.
- Government's Lokpal bill is useless: Anna - Dec 22, 2011
- Hazare leaves for Ralegan Siddhi - Dec 29, 2011
- Anna set for fast, politicians hit back (Evening Lead) - Dec 26, 2011
- Will launch countrywide tour for Jan Lokpal: Anna - Mar 13, 2012
- Hazare unwell, advised rest ahead of fast - Dec 08, 2011
- Team Anna moves court against steep ground charges - Dec 22, 2011
- Hazare advised week's rest - Dec 29, 2011
- Malicious misinformation that Congress is not tackling graft: Sonia - Dec 21, 2011
- Proposed Lokpal bill a weak legislation, says Hazare - Dec 21, 2011
- No-bath protest in Hazare's village - Aug 18, 2011
- Lokpal bill in parliament Thursday, Sonia says she will fight for it (Roundup) - Dec 21, 2011
- Hazare writes to PM, reiterates agitation threat (Lead) - Dec 17, 2011
- Hazare might be admitted to Pune hospital: Associate - Dec 31, 2011
- Hazare writes to PM, renews stir threat - Dec 17, 2011
- Hazare is impatient, says Congress - Dec 26, 2011
Tags: agitation, ambit, anna hazare, anti graft, cbi, central bureau of investigation, congress president sonia gandhi, contentious issue, exercise, hunger strike, investigating agency, jail bharo, maharashtra, New Delhi, parliament, protest, rahul gandhi, rampant corruption, siddhi, social activist