Anna Hazare in Ralegan Sidhi
Anna Hazare on Monday accused the Centre of "betrayal" and going back on its promise on Jan Lokpal Bill and said he will sit on an indefinite hunger strike in Ralegan Sidhi from Tuesday for passage of the anti-graft law in Parliament.
Mr Hazare said one of the major reasons for the drubbing the Congress got in the just-concluded elections to four states was its failure to get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed.
"Congress betrayed the people who responded appropriately," he told reporters.
Mr Hazare said when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can pledge to get the Communal Violence Bill passed in Parliament, why can't he do the same for the much-delayed anti-graft law.
Recalling his earlier hunger fast in Delhi, Mr Hazare said, "Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter saying that Government is ready to bring Jan Lokpal Bill and said please end your fast. I trusted her and I ended my fast."
"I didn't know that this UPA government will betray the public and me," he said.
Mr Hazare, who had earlier announced that he would go on indefinite hunger strike Ralegan Sidhi from the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament, said he shifted the venue of his agitation at his village on the advice of his doctors as he had undergone a surgery recently.
"I had promised the people of India that if the government does not pass the Jan Lokpal Bill, then I will sit on 'Anshan' (fast) from the first day of the winter session at Ramlila Maidan. I am not well as I underwent a difficult operation and doctors have asked me to take precautions," Mr Hazare told reporters.
"I will be sitting on an indefinite hunger strike from December 10 at Ralegan Siddhi instead of Ramlila Ground in Delhi", he added.
He said the agitation would be organised under the banner of his newly-formed organisation, Jantantra Morcha. "We have held over 700 rallies in seven states in the past six months under the organisation to mobilise people."
The Gandhian attacked both Congress-led UPA and the opposition for having "anti-youth, anti-student, anti-village and anti-poor" economic policies.
"Instead of bringing in multi-national companies, the government should focus on developing village and generate employment there as Gandhiji had said that India won't develop until its villages are developed," Mr Hazare said.