PM is honest but remote controlled, moans Anna
December 18th, 2011 - 9:09 pm ICT by IANS
Chennai, Dec 18 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is an honest man but is “remote controlled”, activist Anna Hazare said Sunday, urging people to start filling the jails from Jan 1 in support of a strong Lokpal.
Addressing about 10,000 mainly middle class crowd at a college ground here, Hazare drew repeated applause as he asked the youth to take the lead in the war on corruption.
“From January 1 all jails in the country should be filled,” he said, and jocularly added: “You get breakfast and lunch there also!”
In later comments to the media in the same premises that drew a lot of clapping, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was a “good” and “honest” man but was “remote controlled”. He did not say by who.
Hazare spoke for the first five minutes in Hindi. But when the crowds became restive, organisers first translated what he had already spoken and then provided a line-by-line translation in Tamil.
“I know that there is no Lokayukta in Tamil Nadu,” he said.
But Hazare, visiting the state for the first time since starting an anti-corruption campaign in April, made no reference to Tamil Nadu politicians in the thick of corruption charges.
He reiterated that he would begin his fast Dec 27 from New Delhi if parliament did not pass an effective Lokpal bill by then to include all levels of the bureaucracy.
“I will start the fast and you start the Jail Bharo from Jan 1,” he added, drawing more applause.
Many in the crowds were teenagers and those in the 20s and 30s. There were a lot of young women and elderly too.
A former army driver, Hazare came down heavily against the greed for money.
“We came here with empty hands, and we will go empty-handed,” he said. “Even Alexander (the Great) died empty handed.
“Our struggle is for the poor. The nation’s treasury is not to be looted.
“All government officials should be under Lokpal. Group C and D should be covered by Lokpal. They are the people the poor interact with.”
Speaking to the media, he said a Lokpal institution without the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under its ambit would be a meaningless body.
- PM is honest but remote controlled, moans Anna (Lead) - Dec 18, 2011
- Hazare calls for jail bharo after ban orders (Intro Roundup) - Aug 16, 2011
- Government's intentions on Lokpal dishonest: Hazare - Dec 20, 2011
- Anna ends fast, vows more anti-graft crusade - Dec 11, 2011
- Pass strong Lokpal bill or quit, Hazare tells government (Lead) - Dec 17, 2011
- Team Anna calls off 'jail bharo' agitation (Lead) - Dec 28, 2011
- Anna ends fast, vows to rally against Congress (Roundup) - Dec 28, 2011
- 'Jail Bharo' campaign from April 12: Anna Hazare - Apr 08, 2011
- Team Anna writes to PM ahead of Mumbai fast (Intro Roundup) - Dec 25, 2011
- PM ready for 'give and take' as Hazare continues fast (Roundup) - Aug 20, 2011
- Anna returns with anti-graft protest, threatens more agitation (Roundup) - Mar 25, 2012
- Team Anna writes to PM ahead of Mumbai fast (Roundup) - Dec 25, 2011
- Over one lakh netizens pledge to court arrest to back Anna - Dec 26, 2011
- Fasting Anna sets Aug 30 deadline for anti-graft law (Intro Roundup) - Aug 20, 2011
- Delhi to Mumbai: MPs debate, Anna protests Lokpal bill (Afternoon Lead) - Dec 27, 2011
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