New Delhi:
After a call from Anna on Sunday evening, activists of India Against Corruption are taking their protest to the doorsteps of politicians. But Team Anna has denied charges of hooliganism, saying that this is just an attempt to rouse the people's representatives and that those with vested interests are behind the allegations.
Activists gathered and raised slogans outside the house of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday morning. On Sunday night they protested outside the homes of Congress leaders, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Kapil Sibal.
In Mumbai, Anna's supporters are protesting outside Congress MP Priya Dutt's house. Ms Dutt reacting to the protestors said she won't be pressurised by the government and not by the protestors either. Speaking to NDTV, the Mumbai North Central MP said, she thinks the Judiciary must come under the ambit of the Lokpal. She said "even the Prime Minister should be included (in the bill) and I don't think he has a problem with it."
"I'm in favour of a strong anti-corruption bill. Neither drafts are perfect, so we need to sit across and have a discussion on the bill," Ms Dutt added.
Anna supporters also plan to to protest outside Congress minister Milind Deora's house as well as homes of other senior Congress and NCP leaders in Mumbai; they will also attempt to "gherao" MP Sanjay Nirupam.
In Ahmednagar, protesters surrounded the house of BJP MP Dilip Gandhi and in Nasik, they protested outside MP Sameer Bhujbal's house.
But Anna's key associate Arvind Kejriwal, said, "Those people whose interests are likely to be affected, they will always call these protests mobocracy. Annaji is not saying you indulge in hooliganism, Annaji is not saying you indulge in violence. Annaji is only saying that you go and protest in front of your Members of Parliament and ask them to make their stand clear. Otherwise, what is democracy? Democracy is not about going and voting in five years and handing over your destiny in the hands of some other people."
Last night, as crowds swelled on an extended weekend at the Ramlila Maidan, where Anna Hazare is fasting, there were reports of about two dozen "drunk" men creating a ruckus at the venue. The trouble started at around 12.30 am when a person came to the protest venue and started hurling abuses at the media and volunteers present there. He was taken away by the police but trouble escalated 90 minutes later when around 30 persons, all under the influence of alcohol, assembled at the ground and picked up a quarrel with protesters and media persons.